She What?
by fergie20
Summary: SPOILERish FOR RECENT CHAPTERS "So. It is true. You've become what you despised, Sasuke Uchiha. Congratulations" Slight OCCness. SasuHina, NaruSaku, and others to follow.
1. Chapter 1

Hinata was angry. No, livid at the situation. Three years. Three years of them going on missions and searching for Sasuke Uchiha. Hearing of him killing both his brother and Orochimaru. Done nothing to Konoha, actually aiding them with the deaths of these people and then he goes and kills Raikage's brother, Killer Bee. Supposedly he joined ranks with the Akatsuki that had just been eliminated. _'Why Sasuke?'_

Hinata was drawn out of her musings by the sobs of Ino. She turned to the scene in front of her. Choji and Tenten were comforting Ino. While the rest of the Rookie Nine looked uncomfortable and tense at the situation. Hinata just wanted to disappear. She knew that Naruto would do anything to bring Sasuke back. Knowing him, he had already gone off to the meeting in the Land of Iron, perhaps to talk to Gaara or even the Raikage. _'I wish I could help somehow…'_

Then the idea came to her. She looked quickly at her teammates who were talking to Neji. Hinata caught Neji's eye and made a motion that she was leaving and going to go on a walk. He made a curt nod and began to answer Shino's question. Hinata then back tracked to the Hyuuga district to gather up her supplies. She was going to the Land of Iron, because if her guess was right, Sasuke would be there too. And she was going to find him and bring him back to Konoha if it was the last thing she did.

.*.*.

"So. That's the plan? All of us are going to the Land of Iron to stop Naruto risking his life for Sasuke and then beat him and his band of merry men if he doesn't comply?" Kiba asked as the Rookie Nine and Team Gai stood in a circle.

"Basically." Shikamaru replied coolly.

"Awesome! So when do we leave?" Kiba answered enthusiastically.

"Kiba…" Shino muttered.

"What? I want this war to be over with! And if beating up Sasuke is the way to go, I'm all for it. I don't want another attack like this on Konoha. Our new Hokage is there too. The creep. Did anyone see him fighting when we were attacked?" Kiba threw his hands up.

"No, but why does it matter? There's nothing we can do about it but hope Tsunade–sensei wakes up." Sakura stated. "Let's all get our things together and meet in a half hour. We can't waste any more time."

"Right." Everyone echoed and darted off to newly made homes except for Neji, Kiba, and Shino. Neji held them back.

"Hinata went on a walk. I'll find her and inform her of what's happening." Neji stated. Shino nodded and Kiba waved that they understood his statement and took off.

Neji took off on Hinata's regular path until he noticed a kunai stuck into a tree. He reached up and yanked the kunai out, discovering a piece of paper attached. Neji unrolled it and began to read. He promptly began to swear loudly. He made it to the Hyuuga district in record time and gathered up his things to bring to the Land of Iron. Cursing at his cousin the whole time.  
.*.*.

She had made it. Successfully avoiding the samurai that guarded the area, Hinata found a place to hide and activate her Byakugan. She scanned the area for the Sasuke's chakra. The area was fairly small and would not be difficult to scan. She was lucky the snow had stopped. She felt the burning of a huge chakra in the building she was next to.

_'Naruto…'_ She hid the information in the back of her mind and swept the area. A large group of chakra signatures were focused North of her. She focused on the charka. _'The Kages meeting,'_ Hinata thought. A flair of charka sparked a mass of charkas and Hinata's eyes widened as she watched as pairs of shinobi jumped in front of their Kage as one pounded on the desk. Hinata tore her eyes from the scene only to come across a group of charkas. A group of four hidden behind a rock and Sasuke's was one of them. She quickly deactivated her bloodline and masked her chakra. Kurenai-sensei had taught her the importance of hiding her presence, especially when outnumbered. So with cat-like grace, Hinata Hyuuga approached the group to capture Sasuke.

.*.*.

"SHE DID WHAT?" yelled Kiba as the rest of the group stared in disbelief at what Neji had found from Hinata. "Gone to get him because otherwise Naruto wouldn't be happy…H.H." read the note.

"This is troublesome." Shikamaru rubbed his temple as he added this variable into the equation. Shino was silent on the issue of his teammate while Sakura and Ino just stood dumb founded at the information. Tenten wondered how her teammate was keeping his cool.

"So what is the plan now Shikamaru?" Choji asked.

"The same. She has almost a two hour start. She's probably already there. I don't know what her abilities are these days so let's just hope she doesn't die." Everyone nodded grimly. "Let's go."

The will of fire was about to be tested.

.*.*.

Incapacitating the girl was easy, followed by the guy with giant sword. One quick poke of a couple of charka points silenced them as she moved through the group only to be grabbed from behind by a crushing force. Hinata grunted as the force wrapped around her waist. She quickly tapped points on his arms to make the arms release her and quickly spun around and chose the points to bring him down. A flash of steel passed her vision and Hinata quickly jumped back to avoid the point. Sasuke Uchiha's eyes flared red and tomoe whirled around in eyes. He held his sword steady as Hinata slid into Gentle Fist.

"A Hyuuga? This is interesting." Sasuke stated and barked out, "Why are you here?"

"To stop a war between Konoha and Kumo," She simply stated. "By bringing you home to face the wrath of the ones left behind. And to make the one I love happy again."

"Hn. Who's the one you love?" Sasuke sneered. "The dope? Ha."

Hinata's eyes hardened. "Yes. I've almost died by Pein trying to protect him. I will bring you back to him to make him happy that finally kept his promise."

An eyebrow rose at this. "The dope made a promise. How weak." His eyes spun faster. Hinata glanced away to focus on his feet. She had to hit those points and not get caught by his eyes. She changed the subject to off balance him. Wasn't his goal not to be like his brother?

"So. It is true. You've become what you despised, Sasuke Uchiha. Congratulations." She sneered edging around slightly to get a better position while avoiding his eyes. "I'm glad you had your revenge. Was it worth it? Was it worth leaving Konoha and your friends?" She taunted hoping to make him strike out so she could take advantage.

"Konoha killed my family and made my brother do it. I swear no loyalty to a country that does that." Sasuke stated coldly. "You know nothing."

Hinata cocked her head. "So is that why you are here? To kill the Hokage?"

"Yes. It's just a bonus that he is one of the people who gave the order."

"Ah." Hinata saw her opening and took it. She quickly hit the points before Sasuke realized what was happening and hit the extra one to block his Sharigan. "While I don't like the new Hokage, I can't have you go and kill him." Sasuke fell to the ground, glaring. "Now will you excuse me as I find Naruto?"

And with that she darted off toward Naruto's chakra.

.*.*.

Naruto was mulling over the situation when a knock sounded at his door.

"Coming! Who is it?" Naruto opened the door only to come face to face with Hinata. "Hinata! What are you doing here?" He asked bewildered.

She blushed and looked down. Even though she confessed it hadn't helped. She wondered if he even remembered her confessing to him. It didn't matter because she had to get back before the numbness the group was experiencing went away. "I need you to come with me Naruto. Quickly." She blurted it out. "I found Sasuke."

"What? You found the Teme?" Naruto's eyes enlarged.

"Yes! Now come quickly!" Hinata grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the building toward Sasuke's team.

.*.*.

Neji rubbed his fore head as he saw the meeting place of the Kage's ahead of the group. They had travelled fast. He focused on trying to find Hinata's or Naruto's charka. As they approached the meeting place, he found them. _Together of all things,_ he mused. They were moving quickly toward a rock structure.

"I found them! They are together and moving fast toward that rock structure!" Neji yelled to the group.

"Let's go before they do something stupid." Shikamaru said. As the team increased their speed toward where Neji indicated.

.*.*.*

_**EDIT 07/16/12  
**_Minor things like page break & flows. Nothing too detailed


	2. Chapter 2

To say the least, Team Hawk wasn't very enthused at their current situation. For one, they couldn't feel their body or chakra. Two, the Land of Iron was cold as hell and lying face down (Karin), on the flat of your back (Suigetsu and Juugo), or kneeling (Sasuke) in snow was not comfortable or very warm. Three, they had all been taken down by a girl, who most considered the weakest of the Rookie Nine, in a matter of minutes.

"Who in the world was that?" Suigetsu exclaimed after their female attacker left to go get someone.

"A Hyuuga," Sasuke replied. "And apparently a fangirl of an old teammate of mine." He tried to move his head toward the sound of Suigetsu's voice only to discover that the Hyuuga had paralyzed his neck. "Damn it." He muttered while he heard what sounded like croaking from Suigetsu's direction. "Suigetsu, what in hell are you doing?"

"It's not me. It's Karin. And she…" Suigetsu didn't finish his statement because he was over taken by laughter. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, well if it wasn't parlayed it would of.

"Suigetsu…."

"She." Laugh. "Can't talk!" More Laugher. "Because the girl hit her vocal cords!" Laughter. "Karin is finally silenced! If that Hyuuga was here I'd kiss her!" Suigetsu's laughter continued as did the pitch of Karin's croaking.

"Karin, shut up. That noise is annoying." Sasuke stated glaring at the wall in front of him. "Suigetsu, you too."

"I'll agree with Sasuke." Jugo chimed in from another direction.

"Fine, but I wanna know why princess over here didn't sense the girl." Suigetsu stated nodding his head toward Karin.

"I guess we'll ask once Karin gains back her voice when the Hyuuga comes back with her friend now won't we?"

"Teme?!" Sasuke swore under his breath. Karma hated him, didn't it?

*

Hinata lead Naruto to the place where Sasuke's team was. She was a nervous wreak but at the same time replaying the scene that occurred. She couldn't believe what happened when she put her mind to something. Of course, she had the advantage of surprise, but…

"Yo! Hinata! This way?" Naruto asked pulling her from her thoughts.

"Y-yes. Just up there t-then to the left." Naruto nodded and jumped ahead of her and she followed. "There's four of them, Sasuke, two guys and girl." She added.

As they approached the entrance, Hinata activated her Byakugan to make sure the team was still there and had not disappeared. She saw the all four as she left them. Deactivating her Byakugan, Hinata nodded to give the okay to Naruto, who had waited while she checked the room.

As Naruto walks through the entrance he shouts, "Teme?!"

Hinata mentally hits her forehead as she turned the corner. The girl was closest to the door. She was lying on her stomach, with half of her face in the snow.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Here!" Hinata pulled up the red head up into a sitting position against the rock wall. "It must have been cold…" The red head girl was looking at Hinata if she was a freak of nature. Her mouth was moving fast and emitting croaking sound. "Oh goodness! I hit your vocal cords too! I'll fix that." Hinata gathered chakra into her fingertips and prepared to open up the point that she had accidently hit only to be stopped by a voice.

"Please don't! It's so much more peaceful when Karin can't talk!" Hinata turned toward the male's voice as the girl's, Karin's, croaking turned harsh and fast. "You don't know how annoying it is to hear her talk!" Hinata cocked her head toward the boy with pale hair and walked towards him.

She glanced over to Naruto. All he was doing was glaring at Sasuke and Sasuke was returning it. The pale haired guy grinned as she approached and he moved his head to opposite side to face her on the side she knelt on. Hinata glanced at the sword on his back then back at the guy's face.

"I don't think I can set you up. The sword's in the way." She stated quietly. "Are you fine like you are?" Hinata laced her fingers on her lap.

"Besides being numb and cold? I'm fine Hyuuga. Though, there is one thing…" The boy trailed off and smirked.

"And what's that?" Hinata asked. She leaned her ear down closer to hear him.

"This." Suigetsu leaned forward and kissed her on the side of the month.

Hinata jumped away from the boy in shock blushing as a swooping force came up and shoved the boy up against the wall.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO TO MY COUSIN YOU BASTARD?!" Neji Hyuuga fumed while holding the boy up with both hands. "I will make you pay!" Neji released one hand, filled it with chakra and aimed for the boy's heart.

"Nii-san! P-please! It was nothing." Hinata stepped forward placing a hand on Neji's shoulder.

"Nothing!" Neji barked back. "I saw it all! Don't tell me nothing happened!"

"Neji? Why are you here?" Naruto asked confused. He walked over to Hinata and Neji. "What are you going on about?"

"Neji! Why the hell did you take off like a bat outta hell?" Tenten stated as the rest of the group finally caught up and began to file in. "Oh." Was all she said as she took in a blushing Hinata, a confused Naruto, and Neji holding up some guy with a sword up against the wall. "Nice sword." Tenten commented as she leaned against the wall.

"Thanks," Responded the pale guy grinning.

"Suigetsu, shut up. Dope, can you call off your friend?" Sasuke's voice echoed through the hiding spot. Naruto turned sharply toward Sasuke and strided over to glare at him. Sasuke returned it with a bored look. Sakura and Sai followed Naruto over to Sasuke's spot.

"Oh look. The dope, forehead girl, and the replacement, how touching. You all came to see me?" Sasuke sneered. Sai's face remained neutral while both Naruto's and Sakura's faces twisted with rage.

"You bastard!" A chakra infused fist collided with Sasuke's face. "How dare you?! Joining them! Why didn't you come home?" Sakura voice cracked as she pulled back her fist for another hit. Naruto and Sai silently looked at Sakura in awe as she hit Sasuke in gut. "WHY?" She screamed and broke down into tears and grabbed Naruto, sobbing into his shoulder. "I no longer hold you to your promise." She whispered and ran toward the exit.

"Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed as she took off. Ino glared in Sasuke's direction and followed her friend out the door. Neji, meanwhile, had released Suigetsu onto the ground, while Karin's croaking had increased dramatically during the episode.

"Nii-san… Can you check their points?" Hinata asked timidly. "I'm pretty sure they are fine but…"

"Sure Hinata-sama. Byakugan!" Neji muttered and analyzed the group's points. "They are fine but…" Neji deactivated his Byakugan and pointed toward Karin. "You either need to shut her up completely or let her talk. Because that croaking is just awful."

"Okay." Neji nodded at her answer and began to walk toward Tenten and Rock Lee. Hinata turned around and was enclosed into a crushing hug. "Hi Kiba." She strained out. "Can't breathe…" The pressure was released and a hand tousled her hair. Shino's.

"It's good to see you are well Hinata." Shino stated pulling his hand back into his jacket. "You gave us quite a surprise when you took off by yourself." Akamaru licked Hinata's hand as she reached over to pet him.

"Well, I couldn't stay…" She trailed off while walking over to the red head. She infused her fingertips with chakra and poked the point. Karin coughed hard. "Can you talk?" Hinata asked sincerely while hearing a groan from guy Suigetsu.

"You bitch! What gives you the right to come in here and do this? How dare you have that pink haired bitch harm Sasuke! And…" Karin's mouth moved but nothing came out. Hinata turned her voice back off, only without croaking. Hinata gave her a hard glare and walked toward the large man she hadn't checked yet. Shikamaru and Choji were seated next to him.

Kiba and Shino glared at the red head in front of them. They glanced over at each other then advanced over to the red head. "If you ever talk to Hinata like that again we will personally make sure your tongue is cut out." Shino quietly stated. Karin's eyes enlarged.

"You're lucky Neji didn't hear because it would have been done already or he would of found a way to make sure to make that point was permanently closed." Kiba added. "Of course what is the punishment to insulting the Hyuuga Heiress Shino?" He asked casually looking over to his teammate. "With us Inuzuka's we just feed them to the wolves if they insult us." He grinned savagely as Akamaru growled. "Don't you guys slowly drain them of their chakra or something like that with your bugs?" A look of complete horror crossed Karin's face as she paled.

"Yes, though there are degrees. Would you like to know them Kiba?" Shino answered calmly. Kiba grinned and nodded. "Well, we can leave them alive with enough chakra that it pains the whole entire system with that little chakra. We can do it swiftly or slowly. So many ways…" He trailed off his thoughts cover by his sunglasses.

"So you get the point Speckles?" Kiba stated. "Harm Hinata in anyway and we'll make sure the punishment is painful. Have a nice day." Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru walked away from to the mentally stricken girl to find Hinata.

*

Hinata had asked the large man if he was okay and all other unnecessary questions as Shikamara and Choji watched. When she was done, she looked over at them.

"Well Hinata, to say this was surprising. You've improved a lot haven't you?" Shikamaru stated. Hinata blushed and looked down. "Though, we do have a slight problem."

"And what's that Shikamaru?" Choji asked before pulling a bag of chips out. Shino and Kiba joined the group standing behind Hinata listening to the conversation.

"What do we do about the order on Sasuke?"


	3. Chapter 3

Shikmaru's question rolled around in Hinata's head for a couple of seconds before she quietly excused herself with the excuse of checking on Sasuke. Hinata walked over to the injured Uchiha. His left eye was swelling up from Sakura's punch. Hinata nodded to Naruto and Sai as she approached the group. She walked past them to kneel in front of Sasuke. Ebony eyes glared at her as she inspected the swelling around his eye.

"What are you doing Hyuuga?"

"Don't talk to her like that!" Naruto angrily stated while glaring at the Uchiha. He was still angry at him making Sakura cry.

"Naruto…" Hinata calmly spoke, "Why don't you go check on Sakura? You too Sai."

Sai nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. Let's go do that Naruto." Naruto looked at Sai then to Hinata then glared at Sasuke. Sasuke gave an impassive look back.

"Yeah…" Naruto begrudgingly said taking the direction Sakura had taken.

Hinata sighed as the two boys left. She quickly performed some hand signs and made her hands glow a soft green. Placing her hands over Sasuke's eye, she reduced the swelling and healed a cut near his eyebrow. She then activated her bloodline to see if there was any internal bleeding. She noticed that Sakura had laid the perfect punch. She hadn't damaged any organs, but would a hell of a bruise and would leave the Uchiha sore for a while.

"That's why she's one of the best medics in the village next to Tsunade." Hinata muttered to herself as she deactivated her Byakugan.

"What was that Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked coolly.

Startled, Hinata glanced up at him with wide eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know I said that out loud."

"You did though, so repeat it. I would like to know what she did to me."

"N-nothing…" She responded and continued. "She didn't injure you at all internally. You'll just be extremely sore. She's a very good medic so she would know where to hit and make it hurt without injuring anything."

"Hn." Was the bland response. Hinata looked down at her hands, then around the cave. Everyone was in various conversions. Neji, TenTen, and Lee stood close to Karin, apparently watching her after Hinata silenced her. Kiba and Shino were actually conversing with the pale boy that kissed her. Hinata blushed at the memory while Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow at the color change. 'They wouldn't be calm if they knew what he did…' Hinata thought to herself her eyes traveled over to Shikamaru and Choji, who were now joined by Ino and Sai. Frowning, Hinata unconsciously activated her Byakugan to locate Naruto and Sakura. The things she saw broke her heart and made her fear for the lives of those around her.

*

Sasuke Uchiha had never met a more expressive ninja than Hinata Hyuuga. As she tended to him and what he could detect from listen to conversations around him, she cared even for her enemy and made sure they were comfortable. When she had healed the Sakura's punch, he was surprised. He, of course didn't show it, but it made him want to know about the expressive dark haired girl. Though, in the past few moments she had shown him various degrees of color on her face ranging from a light pink to a dark red like now and now she was pale beyond all belief…

"Neji!" Sasuke was startled out his staring by Hinata as her voice reached a high pitch and she stood quickly. "Neji!" A brown haired male with the same eyes rushed over to her with a worried look in his eyes. "So many samurai are around us! And…" She gasped again. "The Kages! The Kages with their bodyguards though the Hokage isn't with them…" All of the Konoha shinobi surrounded her, with varying degrees of worry. Naruto and Sakura had joined the group when they had heard Hinata yell. Neji activated his Byakugan also and was paling slightly at the numbers and the intense amount of chakra. "N-Naruto… Gaara-sama is here also with Temari and Kankuro… You should go talk to them." Hinata deactivated her Byakugan as she finished her statement firmly. "Tell them that we have Team Hawk and that we will take care of them." Naruto nodded, not sure what to do with Hinata continually instructing him in the past few hours. Sakura started to subtly pull him to meet the Suna group.

"Hyuuga, what makes you think that we will go so easily?" Sasuke sneered at the young woman.

Hinata turned around to the Uchiha and poked him in the temple without any chakra and whispered harshly, "Because you would be dead right now if I hit you with my chakra. But because it is one of my fellow shinobi wishes that you remain alive, I won't. Of course, I could just make you completely blind. How would you like that Sasuke Uchiha?" Malice laced Hinata's voice and her teammates looked worriedly at this new side to her they hadn't seen before. Fingers jabbed harder into a different point top of the Uchiha's head. "Or I could permanently take away the Sharigan. I think I like that idea… What. About. That?" White eyes stared into furious black ones, and Hinata calmly turned away and walked toward the entrance to welcome the newest guests to the cave, leaving some very confused and proud ninja in her wake.

*

Tsunade became aware of the pain in her head when she began to wake up from her slumber. It felt like Shizune had hit her with a load of paperwork she didn't want or she was getting over a very bad or very good night. 'Ugh such a big headache. My head hasn't hurt this much since that pain… Pein. Pein had attacked the village! She had to help everyone! She must wake up to do her duty as the Hokage! As Tsunade launched herself out of her bedding, she bellowed, "Shizune!" A force hit her as those words came out as did some sobbing.

"Oh Lady Tsunade! You're alive!" Shizune sobbed as she hugged her long time sensei. Tsunade started and hugged the sobbing woman back.

"Of course I am. Now how long have I been out?" Shizune removed herself and straighten out her clothes all business.

"A week Lady."

"Hm… So whose been running the village all this time? They wrangled Kakashi into it?" Tsunade chuckled at the fact. "I bet Naruto wasn't happy with that…" She stopped at her assistant's expression. "Shinuze… Who is the 6th Hokage?"

Shinuze looked down and mumbled, "Danzo."

"WHAT?! HAVE YOU PEOPLE GONE CRAZY? GET ME OUT OF THIS BED AT ONCE AND LET ME SEE THOSE DAMN ELDERS NOW!!! HAS THIS COUNTRY GONE MAD??" Tsunade raged as she attempted to get out of bed, alerting the whole village that the Godaime had awoken from her week long coma.

*

Shikamaru was the first to gather himself from Hinata's little display. He sighed. 'This is troublsome…' He thought as he began to think of what to do next. "Guys, we need to get these guys all in one spot. They will be easier to defend if the Kages want to battle. Plus, it looks more organized. So move the rest of the team over to Sasuke, I think it would make the red-head happy." He muttered the last part. Everyone nodded and walked over to the member that they were guarding earlier.

Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino walked over to Suigetsu. They talked to the swordsman before Hinata informed them of who was coming. Surprisingly, they found out they liked the guy, he had a quirky sense of humor and he had mentioned begin impressed with their teammate. Of course, he didn't know that Hinata had been on a genin team with Shino and Kiba which made them feel better that he wasn't blowing smoke. Still, though, they had to do their duty and remember that the guy was a prisoner and precautions should be taken.

Suigetsu looked up from his sitting position that Hinata's cousin had left him in. The two shinobi from earlier, the one with the dog and the one with sunglasses, were coming toward him. He also noticed the others going to Juugo and Karin.

As the two reached him, he asked an obvious question. "So… you guys movin' us?"

"Yes. Apparently we are to have the pleasure of meeting the various Kages. Except ours, which I hope someone killed the bastard and we don't have to see his face ever again."

"Kiba…" Shino warned as Suigetsu held in a laugh.

"Oh Shino, he can't do anything if he can't hear me. Now let's get him over to the spot before we get in trouble." Kiba and Shino each got on a side and hooked Suigetsu's arms over their necks to drag the nin over to Sasuke.

"So why did the Hyuuga poke Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked. He had watched the little display and had smiled through it. He liked the quiet girl's spark and he liked any girl that did not fan girl over Sasuke like the idiot Karin. It was a bonus to watch Sasuke get scolded like a two-year-old and see the white-eyed girl silence his red-headed teammate.

"She didn't like a question he asked and threatened to kill him, blind him, or take away the Sharigan permanently. Or something along those lines…"Shino muttered quietly as they made the slow trek over to Sasuke. Suigetsu let a low whistle.

"I bet Sasuke wasn't happy about hearing that."

Kiba snorted. "You could say that. All he did was stare at her and then she left to join Naruto and Sakura to welcome the Kages." Kages finally triggered something in Suigetsu's head.

"Wait, the plant thing never explained why the Kages are having a giant meeting just said they were and the masked guy said the guy Danzo was going to be here, which got Sasuke fired up."

Both Konoha shinobi look at each other above Suigetsu's head and they simply answered, "You guys."

"What?" Suigetsu asked aghast.

"You guys killed the Raikage's brother, Killer Bee, and made Danzo declare Sasuke fair game, and made Naruto take off by himself to save his friend, again, who has tried to off him several times." Kiba explained off handedly.

"Huh?! We didn't kill him! Hell, we barely made it out of there alive! I don't know what the Raikage's on, but his brother is not dead!"

"Would you swear on that?" Came Shikamaru's voice from behind helping Choji move Juugo.

"Yes! Juugo, we barely made it out of there alive right? And didn't Tobi say something about us failing our mission?" Suigetsu turned his head back as much as he could only to turn it forward again because Kiba and Shino sat him against the wall close to Sasuke. Juugo was placed on one side and Karin was placed on the other.

"Yes." Rumbled Juugo quietly.

"Karin, you sensed his chakra right?" The red-head glared furiously at him and mouthed fast words with nothing coming out. "Just nod you crazy bitch! Do you want all of us to die?!"

Karin nodded quickly and looked over to Sasuke to see his reaction, as if she could with him facing forward.

"Well, that will help Naruto's case about him thinking about Killer Bee being alive still. He told the Kumo nin that when they visited Konoha." Sai stated.

Shikamaru nodded at the statement as Naruto's voice was heard at the entrance. "They're in here, along with the rest of us. We will take care them Gaara."

"I hope so. I never want to come to this place again, it's freezing."

"I'll agree with that brother." Kankuro spoke.

"I don't understand you two. I think it's wonderful here." Temari chimed in with surprised.

"I don't understand how you are warm in that!" Kankuro exclaimed as the Suna Group with Naruto, Sakura and Hinata came into full view.

The Rookie Nine and Team Gai stood in various positions around Team Hawk. They bowed in acknowledgement to the Kazekage and stated a hello. Gaara nodded in return and Kankuro came forward and hit Kiba on the back as a greeting and Kiba returned the gesture grinning. Temari stayed by Gaara, rolling her eyes at Kankuro's antics.

"You have this taken care of Shikamaru?" Temari stated. "You apparently have completed the mission and no-one has died. Congrats."

"I didn't do this. We found them like this." Shikamaru gestured with a shrug. "Hinata did most of the work. We're here to take them to Konoha to have them investigated by our officials. We're actually not supposed to be here." Temari gave an odd look to the Nara as everyone turned to look at the Hyuuga who rejoined her teammates.

"You took down four members of the Akatsuki by yourself?" Temari asked unbelievingly as her eyebrows rose. Hinata blushed and mumbled something. Shino and Kiba placed one of their hands on her shoulders to let her know they were there. "What was that?" Temari asked again not understanding the mumble.

"I-I took them by surprise. They weren't expecting me, so I used it to my advantage…" Hinata trailed off not meeting Temari's eyes. Shino and Kiba each gave her an encouraging sqeeze.

"Hn." Gaara commented as Temari critically analyzed the girl. "It's good enough for me. The others though… They are all different stories. I suggest you start with the Raikage since he's the one that's out for Uchiha."

"SASUKE UCHIHA! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" Bellowed a voice.

"And there he is…" Kankuro muttered as Gaara rubbed his face with his hand and the Raikage entered the room with a smashing of the entrance making it wider.

"Holy shit." Suigetsu commented as Karin looked scared shitless. Konoha nin didn't know how to respond to such behavior. They all looked at each other and had the thought of Naruto begin like this as a Hokage and shuttered. 'I hope not.' They thought as they readied for a fight half of them really didn't feel like fighting.

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_AN: Thank you so much for reading! Thank you also for the alerts__, favs, and reviews on this story! I hope everyone is enjoying it! :] And I forgot this earlier… _

_Dis: I do not own Naruto. Kishi does._

_PS: Review__ if you have the time please! :]_


	4. Chapter 4

Despite all that she had been through in the past few hours, this was the most gut-wrenching moment ever. Because in front of her was the root of what caused her beloved Nii-san so much pain and sorrow. Rage and indignation rushed through her veins after her initial fear, and for the first time in Hinata Hyuuga's life, she wanted to kill someone.

*

Kakashi was rather amused at the current situation. He had heard the Hyuuga heiress come and drag Naruto out of the house they were staying at. Using his ANBU training, he tracked them and then hid when Neji Hyuuga flew past him followed by the rest of the Rookie Nine and Team Gai. A few moments later, he heard muffled yelling then a bawling Sakura rush out and sit outside the entrance. When he was thinking of appearing to talk to her, Ino appeared a moment later. The blonde knelt down and held the sobbing girl while crooning nonsense at her. Ino comforted Sakura for a while until Naruto and Sai appeared. They took Ino's place in comforting Sakura. Sai in his awkward starting to feel way and Nartuo in his devotion to the girl he's loved since forever. He caught Sasuke's name from the comforting and something about a kunai and private parts. Sakura smiled a watery smile and Sai and Naruto returned it glad they made her stop crying for the moment. Ino made the comment about going back into see if anyone had gathered any new information and Sai agreed to head back with her leaving two of the original Team Seven members by themselves. Kakashi shifted closer to the two to listen on their conversation.

"Sakura…" Naruto paused, looking at Sakura.

"Yes?" The tears had stopped falling.

"What did you mean about me not having to keep my promise to you?"

Pause. "Because I can see the difference and I don't think the Sasuke I loved is there anymore… And I don't like being a source of pain to you. And I realized after your fight with Pein that…" Sakura looked down then back at the blonde. "I love you and I don't want to lose you."

Naruto looked absolutely stunned while Kakashi simply smiled. 'About time.' He thought while Sakura reached up and cupped Naruto's face with her hand and kissed him on the lips. Kakashi witnessed what caused the Hyuuga heiress's heart to break and then in the next moment realized there were a large amount of people headed their way. He heard some yelling from inside which caused Naruto and Sakura to part and rush inside. Kakashi watched as the Kages approached the hideout. Gaara of the Sand lead the way by a ways with his sister and brother by him followed by the other villages, except one…

Kakashi's brow lowered into a scowl as he noticed Danzo's absence. 'Where is he? I'm going to go get Yamato and then head to the meeting place. Is there a reason he stayed?' Kakashi leaped away at the time Naruto and Sakura greeted Gaara, welcoming him into the hideout.

*

If anyone didn't notice the hate that rolled of the Hyuuga heiress and her guardian at the current time was moronic. Temari decided. The loathing was so strong in their eyes.

"So youthful!" Whispered Rock Lee excitedly about the Raikages entrance while Tenten made a quick glance at Neji before telling her teammate to keep his comments to himself and mental hoped Lee had not gotten any ideas.

"Raikage…" Gaara addressed the huge dark corn-rowed man. "These Konoha shinobi claim Sasuke Uchiha and his team did not kill your brother, Killer Bee. He was apparently too much for them to handle. They left him alive, or at least that's what they claim…" Gaara trailed off as the Raikage walked closer to the group and Hinata and Neji tensed as he stopped in front of them and their teams.

"Are you two Hyuuga's?" Raikage asked as Hinata clenched her fists as Neji held in a growl. Shino, Kiba, Tenten, and Rock Lee all stayed close to their teammate to give support and to also hold them back from attacking the Raikage. Team Hawk watched this exchange with interested eyes.

"So what if they are?" Kiba asked knowing the Hyuuga's were not going to talk to the man who ordered the mission to steal the Heiress away.

The Raikage threw a glare in Kiba's direction before addressing Neji specifically. "Are you Hyuuga's? You're eyes are what are told to hold the Byakugan. Her forehead is not covered with a curse mark but your forehead is covered by your headband. Does that mean you are a branch member and serve this girl?"

"Nii-san does not serve me." Hinata stated calmly, looking up from the ground she was staring at. "He is my guardian." She looked at the Raikage and with anger said, "And I'm surprised you are talking to us right now because, if you couldn't tell, we both want to inflicted pain on you and lots of it."

Everyone's eyes enlarged at Hinata's statement and the Raikage's guards advanced quickly to guard their leader. Neji, nor Hinata, made a move toward the Raikage.

"Oh, is that so?" Raikage asked raising an eyebrow.

"I would believe anything she says right about now. Hell, she tracked down the four of us and took us down. She threatened Sasuke Uchiha about blinding him for life." Suigetsu spoke from his corner. Heads whipped around to him and the Raikage's focus shifted back to the reason he was here. Sasuke Uchiha. But first…

"YOU, took down THEM?" Raikage pointed toward Team Hawk.

Hinata grinded her teeth before pushing out an acid, "Yes."

"Raikage, do you not think us women can't hold their own?" A female voice asked from the entrance.

"Mizukage … I did not mean to imply such a thing but one lone ninja taking out four Akatsuki members? Very unusual."

"So?" The Mizukage finally came into view. Dark auburn hair was tied on top of her head with the rest cascading down her back and a large bust which made some comparison to Tsunade. A boy the Nine's age appeared by her carrying a large sword like Suigetsu.

"Holy shit." Tenten muttered. "Where do they get these swords? I want one now." Suigetsu snorted at the comment, while everyone else besides Neji and Rock Lee raised an eyebrow at the question and turned their attention back to the conversation between the two Kages.

"Didn't your brother? According to these ninja, he did. Can we just get on with the reason why we are here?" The woman asked bored. "I want to get out of this frozen place. It makes me miss the rain…" she muttered while pulling her cloak around her tighter.

"Hmph. Is his Sharigan deactivated or contained in some way?" The Raikage asked seriously the young group in front of him.

"Yes. Hinata deactivate the Sharigan with her Juuken when she captured Team Hawk." Shikamaru informed the Raikage. "Otherwise I'm sure we'd all be experiencing something very unpleasant right now."

Raikage snorted. "I'm sure. That Hokage of yours has an interesting ability with an Uchiha eye. Sushi? Sasha? It starts with an…"

"Shisui Uchiha." Saskue snarled from his position. "His name was Shisui Uchiha and he was the first Uchiha to die, by order of the Konoha Council to my brother. He was my brother's best friend. That god-damn bastard!" Sasuke glared ahead while everyone else froze in shock.

Hinata quickly moved over to the Uchiha to press on a point, releasing his neck from being paralyzed. Uchiha quick turned his head to the Hyuuga to glare at her while she simply looked blandly back. The Kages raised an eyebrow at the Hyuuga's actions.

"Tell us more. Now." Naruto spoke to the Raikage. "Because if have him and Madara out freely roaming about, we're screwed. Many people's lives have already been fucked by these guys."

"Wait… you know about Madara?" Juugo interrupted, confused from his position on the floor.

Naruto looked pained for a moment before he spoke. "Yes. My father informed me who he was and his crimes. He also goes by the name 'Tobi.' Madara was the true force behind the Akatsuki, not Pein, he was just a puppet…" Naruto trailed off and then started again. "Danzo… His deeds go past the Uchiha Massacre. Him and the Amukage killed a group of Rain shinobi during the Third Great War. He used his Root ninja to do this…"

"Hey! We can get Karin to Danzo, she can get the bastard to confess! Can't you Karin?" Suigetsu stated while smirking at Karin. The red-head glared back and gave a very stiff nod while mouthing two words that should be said in polite conversation.

"Your father, Dope?" Sasuke asked while raising an eyebrow. He was slightly relieved to move his head and face. The blonde looked at Sasuke and gave him a pained smile.

"Almost going crazy with the Kyuubi had its rewards. I got to meet my father, the 4th Hokage." Gasps erupted from the room and several 'Duhs' echoed through the minds of geniuses. "He stopped me from removing the seal of the Fox and he talked to me." Naruto looked away from Sasuke and Sakura reached over and squeezed Naruto's hand.

Hinata noticed the action and felt her heart clench in memory of the kiss she witnessed earlier between the two. She bit her lip and moved her eyes to Sasuke, who was looking at Nartuo with some sort of emotion in his black eyes.

"Can we get back on topic?" Temari asked from beside Gaara. Everyone looked to her and the leaders nodded.

"Can we agree that the Konoha shinobi have Team Hawk under control?" Gaara asked.

Mizukage nodded and Raikage sneered while the Rock leader stood back and muttered something about young people and vaguely nodding.

"What about Killer Bee? He hasn't come back to the village."

"Have you ever let him go out on his own before?" Gaara asked.

"Well of course on missions! Otherwise he is a valuable weapon…" Growling erupted from Naruto and Gaara had a look that his siblings hadn't seen since before the Demon was removed.

"No wonder!" Naruto snarled out clenching his fists. "He's your brother! You shouldn't think of him just as a weapon. He probably ran away!" Sai and Sakura held Naruto from attacking the Raikage while Temari and Kankuro eyed Gaara and watched him visibly shut down his emotions. The Raikage looked undisturbed by the outburst.

"So. That is solved…" The Mizukage spoke. "But what at the rest of the Akatsuki?"

Naruto calmed down and shifted his focus to the Mizukage. "They are done for. Pein is dead and Konan… Konan went to bury his and another comrade's body. The last of the Akatsuki is before you except for Madara and his informant Zetzu."

"We only joined this group because Madara felt that I owed him. And tracking down the eight tails was that assignment. I personally don't like being a lap dog of someone else. They get in the way of my goals." Sasuke explained. Raikage raised his eyebrow at this and dismissed the Uchiha. The Konoha shinobi inwardly relaxed as they saw this as a sign that the Raikage had moved on from wanting to destroy the Uchiha.

"We'd better get back and relieve Ao from watching Danzo." Mizukage informed no one in particular.

"We need to send for ANBU. We'll leave a squad here and the others will take Sasuke's team to Konoha to inform them." Shikamaru stated and turned around to Hinata who had not moved from her spot beside Sasuke. "Hinata, you will be in charge of that group. You captured them and I say you bring them in." Hinata eyes enlarged at Shikamaru's words. "Choji and Ino, do you guys care if you stay to be part of the squad that guards Danzo?"

Choji and Ino made a motions of their acceptance and Shikamaru turned back to the Kages. "There you have it. Team Ten will stay and Teams Eight, Seven, and Gai will escort the prisoners back to Konoha. Everyone got that?"

"Hai." Everyone responded and grouped up. The Kages looked at each other and turned to head back to the meeting. Gaara and Naruto exchanged words then a handshake, Temari and Kankuro waved good-bye to the Konoha shinobi, and Team Ten stood by the entrance waiting for the Suna group.

As soon as everyone left, everyone turned toward Hinata.

"So, o fearless leader. How are we gonna do this?" Kiba grinned broadly. "I vote for knocking them out then carrying them back to Konoha!"

"Hey man! That isn't very nice! We've done everything you've asked!" Suigetsu interjected.

"Wait!" Sakura suddenly swung a backpack off her bag and dug through the contents until she held up what appeared to bracelets. "We can use these. They allow for a little chakra flow but they can emit a shock that will paralyze the wearer if they receive a command from the person who placed the bracelets on them."

"Good." Hinata spoke up. "We will use them. Everyone pair up next to the ninja they were guarding earlier after getting a chakra bracelet. After that, I or Neji will come around and unblock the points."

Everyone nodded at the instructions and headed over to Sakura to grab a bracelet. Hinata watched as Shino and Kiba placed the bracelets on Suigetsu and began to walk over when Kiba motioned her over. Hinata walked around to the backside of Suigetsu and activated her bloodline. Veins bulged as she quickly found the points and struck them quickly pushing the chakra blocking the points out of them. Suigetsu slowly stood, first stretching, then turned and faced the Hyuuga.

"Thanks Hyuuga. I hope that never happens again." He told her with his usual grin.

Hinata nodded in response and smiled at the pale boy. She saw Sai motioning for her and she walked over to him. She repeated the process she did with Suigetsu and the man was able to stand. She saw that Neji had taken care of Karin and Sasuke and they were currently stretching. Karin appeared to be hovering about Sasuke, not making a sound but flailing about wildly.

Kiba walked up behind Hinata and whispered in her ear, "I think you can let her talk now. Just say next time it will be permanent next time." Hinata glanced at her teammate before heading over to do what he said. She quickly walked up to the girl and tapped her shoulder. The girl whipped around and glared at the Hinata.

Hinata calmly poked the girl in the voice box and stated, "If you say anything remotely insulting, I will make sure you'll never talk again." and walked to the center of the room.

"Everyone! Let's head out!" Hinata called to the group she was in charge of. There were choruses of yes and finally. The Konoha shinobi headed back home, the place they had just left previously that day.

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_Thanks for the reviews, favs, and alerts! I'm happy people are reading my story! :]_

_Dis: Naruto, I do not own. Kishi do._


	5. Chapter 5

It had been the two of them since her parents died and he had found her begging in the rain. Then she had found a new person to belong to their little family. He was just like them, homeless and hungry. Then the three Leaf shinobi found them and one of the men stayed and taught them about being a ninja and taught them the basics at gaining back their country.

Then she had to go and ruin it. She was traveling to meeting place that they had set up to finally talk to the monster who was ruining their beloved country. And she let her guard down. The blow came out of nowhere and the next thing she knew she was on a ledge above Yahiko and Nagato. She held in her tears because she knew it would do no good and she didn't want to appear weak. When the evil men threatened her life she told her boys not to care, that she didn't matter, to continue with the plan, and hoped the stupid boys didn't listen to the men.

She should have known better.

And from that horrible day, she lost one of the most important people to her and the other lost all his love for the world and the people in it. After awhile, she lost all feeling too, except the glimmer of hope that maybe tomorrow would be different. It would take the words of an old sensei through a kid to remind why they started this in the first place and Nagato sacrificed himself to restore the people of Konoha.

Now as she stares at the freshly dug graves in front of her, she finally let the tears fall. Years of pain, loss, and suffering poor out of her body and she screams at the sky, "Why? Why am I the only one left?" She pounds the ground furiously and then collapses and sobs one last time, "Why?" Lying on the ground, rain beings to softly fall down on her and she realizes what she can do. She can prevent it from happening again and testify against the horrible things that were done in her beloved country. She will combine all their dreams and make the world better.

And for the first time since she was a child, Konan dances in the rain, her hope finally restored in the world. She laughs as she twirls about and plans to talk to the new Mizukage and the plan to return to Konoha to talk to the boy who had so much hope in the world. She would no longer let her circumstances control her life.

*

"Hinata."

Hinata turned her head toward her teammate Shino. "Yes?"

Shino's sunglasses flashed in the sunlight as he responded. "What are we going to do when we reach the village? Simply walk in? Our guests have rather… noticeable attire." Hinata looked back at Sasuke and his team. They had cooperated so far. She would hate to ruin the peace but, the black cloak with red clouds would surely rouse shinobi and villagers alike after what happened with Pein... Hinata sighed.

"I've been thinking about it… and either we wait and go in at night or have them take off the cloak and walk in broad daylight but there's a problem with that too…" Hinata began to explain to Shino looking back down the road they were traveling down.

"And what's that?" Kiba popped up beside his female teammate, which triggered a quiet exclamation from her. Kiba laughed and gave the startled girl a quick one armed hug. "So, Captian." Hinata smiled a small smile at the title. "What's the problem?"

"Sasuke is a wanted criminal since Danzo declared it so and not many people know he joined the Akatsuki. But he has been gone for three years and him suddenly showing up with the Uchiha symbol on his back would be…" Kiba interrupted her.

"Death by fan-girl." Hinata giggled at the remark while a quick smirk formed on Shino's face behind his collar. Kiba grinned wolfishly and Akumaru barked at the antics of people around him.

"No. It just would do the same as the cloak because he was a student of Orochimaru. And we all know what he did…" Hinata trailed off looking off into the woods that they were traveling through. She sighed again. "I'm going to go talk the group and tell them what I want to do once we get closer to the Konoha gates."

"And what's that?" Kiba asked interested.

Hinata smiled serenely and answered, "You'll have to wait like rest of the team." She then quickly hopped back to the rear of the group to talk to Neji if he had anything to report.

Kiba, flabbergasted, stopped and stared at the spot that Hinata had previously occupied. He shook his head and then started back walking muttering, "So much for knowing the plan." Shino simply laughed at his teammates muttering, knowing that he felt the same amount of pride in Hinata he did.

*

Sasuke had watched the exchange between Team Eight in front of him. Their dynamic was so different from Team Seven and Team Hebi. And it was because of the Hinata Hyuuga. Her teammates unconscientiously protected her, looked to make her smile, cheered her on, and made her not to fear showing her emotions. A scowl turned on his face. 'How did someone like that survive being a shinobi? Emotions are something that all ninja work to rid themselves of. Why did…'

A sharp poke interrupted his thoughts. Sasuke turned, scowl still in place, to Suigetsu, who was poking him with the sword of the first man that Team Seven took down. The pale blue haired boy grinned and put away his sword on his back when he noticed Sasuke turned.

"Finally! I tried gettin' your attention earlier, but you didn't hear me. Why are you starin' at the Hyuuga?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the question and turned back forward. "Well geesh. I was just goin' to say you have good taste in women. I was worried you actually liked Speckles." Karin gasped in fury at Suigetsu's comment and the usage of the name the Leaf shinobi had called her.

"How dare you!" She hissed at the swordsman.

He shrugged in turn and answered, "You can't compete with her Speckles. She's everything you're not." Suigetsu began to count on his fingers, "Looks for one, brains, and she's quiet, unlike you. Oh! And the bonus of watching her silence you with one hit. That was great! And…" Karin jumped and began to strangle Suigetsu, shaking him at the same time. Sasuke and Juugo stopped to see why Suigetsu was making gurgling noises.

"Take back you piece of crap! How dare you compare me to that drab of a girl?!" The intensity of the shaking increased until Karin cried out in pain, which made her let Suigetsu go, and she collapsed to the ground. Tenten and Neji jumped over to Karin to check on her while Kiba and Shino checked out Suigetsu.

"Tenten… I think you might have gone a little over board." Neji muttered while checking the girl out with his Byukgan.

"Hey! It's my first time with these things. I guess I rushed the amount of chakra I sent…" She responded looking over the girl for any other injuries.

"What did you say to her to make her jump on you like that?" Kiba asked Suigetsu.

Suigetsu grinned as the subject of the conversation came over to see what caused the group she was in charge of to stop moving. "I said your teammate was better lookin' than her." Hinata stopped and blushed at the words while everyone else gaped at Suigetsu besides Sasuke and Juugo who were used to such outbursts. A cough was heard from behind everyone.

"So…" Hinata was still pink from the comment she heard. "Now would be a good as time as any to tell my plan to get in the village unnoticed." Everyone turned toward her and she blushed harder before straightening up and continuing on. "My plan is to wait towards evening, right before the shifts end at the gates. Naruto and Sakura, you will check in with Shizune and see about Tsunade-sama." They nodded and took at swift look toward Sasuke before returning their gaze to Hinata. "Then, right before the gates, Sasuke, I need you and your team to take off your cloaks and either hide them or burn them, unless you want to be mobbed by the population of Konoha. Then…" Hinata bit her lip and rushed out the next part. "I need you to transform yourself into Team Ten." Surprise showed on some faces, while others were nodding at the plan.

"Wait… So that group of shinobi who stayed?" Suigetsu asked from his position on the ground.

"Yes." Hinata responded more sure of herself and her plan.

"Hn. One problem though Hyuuga." Sasuke's voice came from the back of the group. "There's four of us and only three of them." Expectant eyes looked back at the Hyuuga heiress; she adverted her eyes and mumbled something. "What's that Hyuuga?" Sasuke leaned in closer

Neji clenched his fist ready to punch the Uchiha for talking out of turn. Tenten placed her hand his shoulder. "Easy now. Don't want to start anything." She mumbled under her breath.

"But he's!" Neji hissed back and Tenten gave him the 'look.' Neji returned his gaze back to his cousin and the Uchiha.

"One of you won't transform. The one who isn't known very well at all. You'll just be a civilian we gained on the way back… Or you could transform into Sakura or Naruto because they would be going in a different direction."

"Change in to the dope? Are you crazy Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked. Eyes zoomed to him then back to Hinata as her eyes steeled.

"Yes. It's either that or getting fan-girled at the entrance or, one of my favorite factors, the part of you being a _wanted criminal_." She enforced the last part. "So," She turned to Juugo, Suigetsu, and Karin, who had woken up for the fan girl part, "who do you want to turn into?"

Juugo spoke first, "I choose Choji. He's similar in build."

"The blond chick." Karin chimed in second.

Suigetsu looked over at Sasuke as to ask permission. Sasuke's eyes seemed to flash red at the swordsman. Suigetsu nervously chuckled and answered, "I'm lesser known. No one will recognize me. Sasuke can be the ponytail guy."

"Okay everyone, that's the plan. Juugo will be Choji, Karin will be Ino, Sasuke will be Shikamaru, and Suigetsu will be himself." Hinata restated for everyone and herself. "Let's go. We have an hour before we reach Konoha." And she twirled around and headed down the road.

"Is it me or does Sasuke bring out something in Hinata?" Sakura mumbled to Naruto as the group began to follow the Heiress a moment later.

"It's the Teme. He does it to everyone." He responded. "I'm just glad he's not gonna change into me." Sakura rolled her eyes at her new boyfriend. "I hope Baa-chan has woken up…" He muttered, changing the subject while looking down the path in front of them.

"Me too." Sakura echoed.

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_Thank you so much for favs, alerts, and reviews! You don't know how much they make me want to write! ^^ Thanks for reading! Please review if you have time! :]_

_Dis: 'Tis Kishi that Naruto belong to.  
This plot though… It belongs to the plot bunny in my head. _


	6. Chapter 6

He was seriously considering if acting like an idiot had harmed his normal way of thinking. Rubbing the side of his face with his hand, Madara sighed. He didn't figure in the Hyuuga girl. Hell, he didn't figure in that whole group of Leaf children. He knew that Naruto would come to the meeting to plea for Sasuke's life. The boy was obsessed. But he hadn't figured in Sasuke going peacefully with the shinobi. So now the Kyuubi container was on its way back to Konoha with what he thought was the perfect way to conquer Konoha.

Madara was in a predicament now. He wanted the last two tailed beasts, but he had no man power. Pein was dead. Konan, she'd probably kill herself because Pein was gone. And everyone else had been eliminated by Sasuke or by Konoha. Should he risk going after the Leaf children?

Zet had never returned. Su was pacing slightly beside him, worrying.

Madara looked the direction of Konoha and felt anger build up in him. He was not going to wait another hundred years for an opportunity to show it's self. He would remind Sasuke of what Konoha did to his family. A battle would follow between Sasuke and the Kyuubi brat who had Sengu blood in him. And it will end that battle between the Uchiha and the Sengu and finally the Uchiha would be victorious.

'Soon everything will be the way it is supposed to be and the world will never be the same.' Madara thought and smiled underneath his mask.

*

Shikamaru needed answers. Sasuke's outburst at the Raikage's comment about Danzo was interesting enough, but for Naruto to reveal what he had done before the Uchiha massacre… Danzo had inadvertently created the Akatsuki.

Shikamaru looked over at Choji and Ino. Ino twirled a strand of her hair around her finger as she chatted to Choji, who was munching on some chips, about the cold weather.

"If you didn't want to be cold you should have worn more clothes Ino. You knew it was going to be cold." Shikamaru butted in. Ino looked across Choji and stuck her tongue out.

"I didn't know I was going to stay an extra day so I didn't pack extra."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and muttered, "Troublesome." Then a thought popped into his head. "Ino. Your father has taught you more interrogation techniques right?"

Ino glanced around and gave Shikamaru a sly look. "Maybe. I learned a lot when they were trying to decode that cadaver's body." Choji's hand paused as he looked at Ino in horror. Shikamaru tried not to look surprised. He knew they were doing something with a body of Pein's, just not what exactly.

"You can read dead people's minds?!" Choji exclaimed in a whisper. "That's creepy Ino." Ino rolled her eyes.

"All we do is look at memories left in the brain. Dead people don't have minds to read."

"Well, that's still creepy but… not as bad." Choji continued on with his eating of chips. Ino pursed her lips and then looked back over at Shikamaru. He shrugged and turned his attention back to the road.

They were at the rear end of the line of shinobi and Kages. The Mizukage lead the way with her guard a ways head followed by rest of the group. Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro walked in front of Team Ten. Shikamaru jumped up beside Temari who briefly reached for her fan before lowering her hand. She raised an eyebrow at Shikamaru, who began to ask questions.

"What has Danzo done?" He simply asked.

"He has a Sharigan eye according to the Mist shinobi with a Hyuuga eye. It apparently belonged to an Uchiha he had battled before, Shisui Uchiha." Temari replied matter-of-fact.

"Shit. This isn't good… I'm glad that Neji's with the team headed back home but there is a high chance of a Hyuuga coming with the ANBU. And maybe Sasuke had a point…" Shikamaru's hand twitched in reflex to grab a cigarette but he quickly stuffed his hands into his vest. "How are we going to get out of this?" He mumbled as they arrived in front of the tent.

*

Hinata was beginning to feel the strain of using her Bloodline. Her body ached with chakra depletion. She knew she had to stick it out. They were almost to the gates.

"Naruto. Sakura. You guys go to the Lady Tsunade's tent and check on her condition with Shizune." Hinata commanded. Sakura and Naruto looked at each other before heading off into that direction. She then turned to the rest of the group. "Okay. Perform the jutsu now before the gate so they don't sense chakra use in front of the gate."

"Hinata, they'll need more chakra." Shino spoke low into her ear. She glanced to her teammate out of the corner of her eye then quickly made a two hand signs that Sakura had shown her. She felt the cuffs lessen their control a bit and allow chakra through.

"There that should do it." She mumbled as Team Ten popped up in front of them plus Suigetsu. "Make sure they look like them." She spoke up as the rest of the group gathered and analyzed the copies in front of them.

"Decent."

"Ino's hair is a bit longer."

"Wow. Never noticed how much Shikamaru and Sasuke have the same look of boredom."

"The spirals go the other way on his cheeks."

Hinata leaned against a tree to rest as she listened to the comments her teammates and friend said. After each comment, the ninja would make the slight change and soon everyone was standing around nodding at the fakes of Team Ten in front of them. Hinata pushed off the tree.

"Okay. Let's go. Changing of the guard is going to happen soon."

Everyone looked at Hinata and nodded and began to walk toward the Konoha gates. Hinata sighed and looked at the ground as she followed the team she was in charge of.

"So tired…" She murmurs rubbing her eyes. Hinata stumbles and prepares to hit the ground when two pairs of arms grab her before she can fall on her face. She looks up and smiles at Kiba and Shino before fainting in their arms.

The two male members of Team Eight quickly take care of their teammate. Kiba called for Akamaru and hops on top of him and holds Hinata in front of him. Shino goes ahead to assume control of the team. Kiba takes off toward the gates with his female teammate to get her to the hospital. Shino nods at his teammate as he passes.

"What happened to Hinata? Where is he taking my cousin?" Neji asks as he sees his cousin being transported away fast.

"She has depleted her chakra. She has done a lot in the past twenty four hours." Came the reply from Shino. "We are to continue with our plan as before. Move out."

Various looks were exchanged between the Leaf shinobi and Sasuke's team before picking up the pace to get to the gate in time.

*

Naruto and Sakura slowed their pace as the familiar white tent came into view. A pained look briefly came over both Naruto and Sakura's faces. They looked at each other and smiled at the other in bravo, then continued their walk to the tent.

Upon reaching the tent, Sakura lead the way into the tent and gasped. Naruto quickly followed suit only to gape at the scene in front of them.

Tsunade, from her position on her cot, was drinking sake and looking very pissed at some paperwork. She continued to stare at the scrolls while Sakura and Naruto continued to stare at her.

"I'm not seeing this am I?" whispered Sakura to Naruto. He shook his head.

"I am too… Are we dreaming?" He whispered back. A voice came from behind them.

"Sakura! Naruto! What are you guys doing back so soon? Did something happen?" Shizune asks holding her pig Ton-Ton.

The two pointed in unison toward the 5th Hokage and asked, "When did this happen?!" Tsunade raised her head from her paperwork to find out were the loud voices were coming from. Shizune walked quickly between Naruto and Sakura and reached for the sake bottle in Tsunade's hand. Tsunade held the bottle behind her. The two had a brief staring contest before Shizune rolled her eyes and sat in the chair next to the cot. Tsunade directed her gaze to the two teenage shinobi in front of her.

"Explain. NOW." She commanded as Sakura and Naruto launched themselves to hug the fifth before sitting down and quickly informing her of what had happened on their journey to the Land of Iron.

************

_So sorry for the long wait! College happened and writer's block clubbed my plot bunny for a while. Meanwhile… Thank you so much for favs, alerts, and reviews! Thanks for reading! _

_pigs103 and Akuma Hana: Thank you for reviewing faithfully and for the encouragement!_

_Please review if you have time! :]_

_Dis: Seriously? Do you think I would be writing this if I owned Naruto?_


	7. Chapter 7

A group of ninja stood in front of the members of the party that had gone after Kiba and Hinata. Their masks shone in the dying sunlight. The party came to a halt as one of the Konoha ANBU came forward.

"We have been informed of what has happened. Please turn over the team of shinobi and you may all go home." Everyone looked at each other before turning their gaze back to the ANBU in front of them.

"How do we know you are who you say you are? You could very well take the team of shinobi you wish and then help them escape." Tenten questioned toying with a kunai. "Who informed you of what has happened? Better question is how do you know we have who you are looking for?" Everyone tensed and prepared to fight the ANBU in case it was a trap to get back the Uchiha's team.

The ANBU bowed its head and answered, "The Fifth Hokage called us into her tent and informed us that a group of Leaf children shinobi were returning with a very important group of shinobi that needed to be guarded and taking into custody." Pause and the guard placed a hand under its chin. "Of course Naruto objected to the group of you being called 'children' and was swatted on top of the head by Sakura." Amusement colored the tone of the ANBU voice at the statement and the team relaxed. "So… may we have the shinobi?"

Shino nodded to the group and the fake Team Ten and Suigetsu were placed into the ANBU's care. The chakra bracelets were tuned to the ANBU's chakra and the masked ones took off with the Team Hawk.

"I suppose this means we need to report to the Fifth." Neji stated as he watched the ANBU take the team into ANBU headquarters with his Byukagan.

"You may do that, but I wish to go check on my teammate. I will talk to the Lady another time. I bet Naruto and Sakura have informed the Fifth with all she needs to know for now. If anything, she will want to talk to Hinata as soon as possible." Shino responded.

Sai, Tenten, and Lee nodded at Shino's response and took off toward the Fifth's tent while Neji stayed put.

A battle between duty to Konoha and checking up on his cousin briefly waged in Neji's mind before deciding that what Shino said was correct. Naruto and Sakura had probably informed the Fifth of what had happened. She would also understand his need to check up on his cousin and make sure she was okay. Neji made the motion for Shino to lead the way to the hospital and the bug user took off toward the hospital with Neji close behind.

*

From what he could gather, Danzo was going to be brought back to Konoha by ANBU. So the bastard might possibly be in the same area as him so he could have the chance to kill the bastard. Preferably with the new jutsu he wanted to try out. Sasuke decided during the walk back to Konoha that it was stupid to hold a grudge against the whole population of Konoha when it had been tricked by their leaders to believe one thing, plus Itachi wanted him to get a life.

Of course the first step was to actually get on Konoha's good side, which, in his mind, was not that hard. He had killed one of the Konoha's enemies and had never attacked a Konoha ninja minus the dope, the pink-haired one, and the Hyuuga. Even with those he can claim he was attacked first and he defended himself.

With all of this deliberated, Sasuke had decided on the most far fetched plan he had ever thought of. He would tell the ANBU everything they wanted to know about the Snake Sannin, Akatsuki (the little he did know), Madara, and any other thing stupid detail they wished to know. He would tell the rest of his team to do the same. This way, hopefully, they would only be put on probation and not stuck in prison or put to death.

How was Konoha going to turn down the help of the last Uchiha, a chakra tracker and healer, the holder of Zabuza's sword, and a raging demon that could talk to birds and other animals? Jugo would probably finally get the treatment he needed to stop his raging and start the life he wished to live. Hell, they all could start again and erase that miserable time they had in the Snake Sannin's lair.

Of course, this all banked on the idea that the dope would not let anyone kill him or the fact that they would even believe a word his team confessed to the investigator. He supposed he should be up front with ANBU or whoever investigated them, because otherwise they would think it was a trick.

While Sasuke was interested on how long he last against Ibiki, he really didn't want to try it out. He had seen the scars on the man's head and face during that long ago Chunnin exam and figured a man who could take that much pain could deal it out just as easily.

An increase in noise on the other side of the room made Sasuke open his eyes and look to see what was happening. Jugo was holding Karin back from Suigetsu. Suigetsu was laughing at the red-head as she furiously tried to get at him from around Jugo. Sasuke shook his head. He would never understand why Karin let Suigetsu under her skin. It's just what he wanted. Sasuke sighed and walked the short distance to the group. As he started to walk over, Karin stopped her actions and then started to hover over him.

"Are you okay? Do your eyes hurt?" Sasuke eyebrow twitched slightly at the red-head's questions as she examined him. "Any nausea?" Suigetsu and Jugo watched as the twitching increased and wondered when Karin would get the hint.

"Karin." Suigetsu spoke up. The said red-head ignored him and continued to check and ask questions to the Uchiha whose fists were clenched.

"Karin." He tried again. This time the red-head glared over her shoulder before returning to her work. This time the Uchiha had started to glare at the red-head who continued despite the glare and the interruptions of her teammates.

Suigetsu sighed and looked up to Jugo who was intently watching Sasuke and Karin. The pale boy made a gesture toward the pair and asked, "He still has the chakra bracelets on right?"

The giant looked down at him, puzzled, and answered, "Yes… Why wouldn't he?"

"Oh just making sure." Suigetsu replied before taking a seat on the cot. "Be a shame for Sasuke to kill one of team while in prison because he was displeased them." He leaned against the wall and folded his arms. "Poor Speckles." He murmured shaking his head and watching the pair in front of him.

Jugo looked at the relaxing Suigetsu back to the Uchiha and Karin. She seemed to be finishing up while Sasuke looked ready to take her block off. He could tell Sasuke wished to tell them something and couldn't while the red-head examined him.

"Karin." Jugo's voice rumbled out and Karin, fed-up with the interruptions, turned around and glared.

"What?" She asked through her teeth. Her Sasuke need to be checked!

"I think Sasuke wants to tell us something and he can't while you are examining him." The giant spoke calmly taking the spot next to Suigetsu. The red-head seemed startled at the notion and suddenly noticed the glare that was emanating from the Uchiha. She quickly took a couple steps away and sat down against the cell wall.

Sasuke sighed and then told his team what he had been thinking and his plan, minus the killing Danzo part. The three faces looked back with various degrees of skepticism. Sasuke looked blandly back his team. Karin still had blond streaks in her hair and had one blue eye left over from the transformation jutsu. He knew she would do anything he said. It was kinda pathetic. Suigetsu and Jugo on the other hand… Jugo had completely gone back to his normal self. He had a look of contemplation while Suigetsu look slightly confused at the plan.

"What about if the opposite happens?" Jugo spoke. Sasuke gave a nod for Jugo to continue. Jugo shifted against the hard cell wall and continued. "What if they think all the information we are giving them is false or leading them into a trap? What can we use to make them believe us?"

"I thought of that. But you have to remember Jugo, we probably won't be investigated by any newbie. We will probably get the pleasure of someone experienced. Though I suppose they are listening to our conversation right now. So they actually might believe us when we confess." Jugo nodded in agreement to Sasuke's statement and Suigetsu looked less confused but was planning on asking Jugo to make sure.

"I wonder how long they will keep us in here before they start…" Suigetsu murmured looking about the team's cell for an umpteenth time again.

Karin placed her hands on her hips and answered crossly, "Probably when the Hyuuga girl wakes up and she gives her report. Which could vary from a few hours to a week depending on whether the degree of chakra depletion she put herself through and her average rate of recovery."

"Um, come again in something other than an ancient language." Suigetsu spoke up and Sasuke felt the need to slap him upside the head because he didn't know if Suigetsu was playing dumb or actually couldn't understand what Karin just said.

Karin sighed crossly and muttered under her breath before answering tartly, "It depends on how much chakra she lost and quickly she usually bounces back from injuries." Suigetsu grinned at the red-head and gave a thumbs up. Karin rolled her eyes and got up and stalked over to far corner away from the pale boy.

"That was easier than I thought!" Spoke Suigetsu and Jugo rapped him upside the head. "Ouch! What was that for?" Suigetsu asked rubbing his head. Jugo just returned with a look of are-you-serious.

Sasuke sighed and took the opposite cot of Suigetsu and Jugo. He really hoped the Hyuuga recovered fast. _'Because I want out of this place as soon as possible;not because I am concerned about her well-being.'_ A voice snickered in his head at that thought and Sasuke was wondering why the voice sounded like Itachi.

*

The first thing that hit her was the dull throb which was her whole body. Hinata mentally scolded herself for letting her chakra supplies get so low. She should have asked for Kiba's soldier pills to complete the mission. Wait… The mission!

Hinata bolted up in the bed she was in and looked around frantically. Where was she? Was she in the hospital? Hinata glance around confirmed that, white walls and that tingly disinfectant smell. Hinata made a move to slide out of the bed when Kiba walked in with Shino and Neji.

"She's right in here. She has been sleeping pretty- Hinata! You're awake!" Kiba exclaimed while quickly moving over to support his teammate's attempt to stand. "You woke up pretty quickly. Are you sure you want to do this?" Hinata nodded and smiled at Kiba and then at Shino and her cousin.

"I need to report the Fifth if she's awake." Hinata took a breath and added, "What about Sasuke's team? Did you deliver them?" Kiba held Hinata up by placing his arm around her waist.

"Actually the ANBU met us in front of the village and we placed them into ANBU care." Shino spoke.

"Are you sure they were ANBU?" Hinata quickly asked leaning more on Kiba.

"Yes. They confirmed it. Rather amusedly actually." Neji answered with a smirk from beside Shino. "The rest of the team went to report to the Fifth, who is apparently awake."

"That's good news. So now I really need to go report to her." Hinata attempted to take a couple of steps away from Kiba, only to stumble briefly before her teammate caught her. The three males looked concerned at the girl and glanced at each other in the room.

"How about we help you check out and then I'm sure Akamaru won't mind giving you ride over to the Fifth's tent." Kiba suggested as he half carried his teammate out of the room toward the nurse's station.

Shino and Neji quickly followed and Neji went ahead to talk to the nurse in releasing his cousin. Kiba and Shino made sure Hinata looked healthy enough to walk out of the hospital for the brief seconds the nurse looked over to check the female Hyuuga. Hinata added a wave and a smile to convince the nurse that she was well. Nurse nodded absently toward the trio and checked something off a clipboard before quickly moving onto her rounds.

Once the trio was out of the hospital, Kiba and Shino helped Hinata onto Akamaru and the group took off toward the Fifth's tent.

*

Kakashi couldn't believe what was going on. He knew Danzo was up to no-good, but to harvest an Uchiha eye just because? Kakashi was disgusted. He knew there were many rumors about how he got his eye but as long as he knew why he received it, the rumors didn't matter.

And this Mist shinobi with the Hyuuga eye. He highly doubted it was procured through proper means, but it had come in handy for uncovering what Danzo was doing. Though he was sure the Hyuuga clan was not going to be happy when this bit of news hit the grapevine back in Konoha.

Kakashi glanced over at Asuma's team. They had been surprised at first to see him but then took it all in stride and informed him what had happened in the cave. Team Ten stood over in a corner discussing something. Kakashi smirked under his mask. He was sure Shikamaru already calculated that his team was the best for this. They could incapacitate mentally and physically and learn some information all at the same time.

He moved his attention from the third of the Rookie Nine to listen to the Kages idol talk as they waited for the Konoha ANBU to show up. They were wrapping up the meeting informally and agreed that while Raikage had been out of hand earlier, he was the man for the job to be in charge of the five Kages. Kakashi mentally agreed with the decision and decided to go wait outside for the ANBU team.

*****

_Gah… I bet the lot of you want to hurt me right now. I promise though that I will get to point soon! Hopefully I will get some writing done after Finals week. __Anyways! Thank you for your continued support! The reviews, alerts, and favs encourage me to continue writing! :]_

Dis: I do not own Naruto. Kishi does.

_Review if you have the time please! Thank you! :]_


	8. Chapter 8

The trio of boys escorting Hinata walked into the Fifth's tent to find her in the same position that Naruto and Sakura had found her, pouring over paperwork. Only this time she looked offended by the piece of paper which she was staring down. Shizune noticed the entrance of trio while Tsunade was absorbed with the said piece of paper.

"Shino, Neji, and Kiba! It's about time! The others had reported in and we were beginning to…" She trailed off as the Hinata and Akamaru entered the tent. Hinata winced as she slid down the side of the giant white dog. She shakily stood and Kiba quickly offered his arm in assistance. Hinata smiled at her teammate and accepted.

"Sorry Shizune. It was my fault. They assisted me out of the hospital so I could give my report." Hinata stated and slightly bowed at the Fifth's assistant. At Hinata's voice Tsunade looked up and smirked.

"Your fault eh? Well Hinata Hyuuga, I have heard very interesting reports from everyone. Apparently you are the one to congratulate for the capture of Sasuke Uchiha and his team." At this, Hinata blushed and Tsunade smirk widened as she continued nonchalantly, "Everyone has said you acted like a true captain when the position was given to you and had a plan that most of them would have recommended." Hinata blushed a deeper shade of pink and the boys in the room swelled with pride for the dark haired girl.

"Thank you Madam Hokage. I don't deserve their praise. I took off because my emotions got the better of me and because of this, I endangered my friends. I am lucky to be alive and I understand if I am punished." Hinata murmured, casting her eyes down. Kiba tightened his hold on her arm as Shino and Neji simply looked at her in slight shock. Shizune tilted her head at the heiress and Tsunade laughed. Startled, Hinata's eyes flew to the Fifth.

"Only you Hinata. Only you." Tsunade's eyes crinkled in laughter. "You will not be punished. Well… I guess what I have in mind can be considered punishment if all goes according to plan." At those words, Hinata's face flashed with an idea of the plan while the others stated blank.

"What do you have in mind Tsunade-sensei?" Hinata asked quietly as tremor of knowing was threaded into the question. Tsunade became serious and looked at the males that had arrived with the Hyuuga heiress.

"Shino. Neji. Kiba. I need to talk to Hinata alone." The three of them objected and Tsunade held up her hand and the boys quieted. "Hinata will be able to tell you later if she wishes. She also needs to file a report of her actions before she met up with Naruto. The three of you can report after Hinata is done. Until then you are dismissed." Kiba escorted Hinata over to a chair that was next to the Fifth while Shino and Neji stood silently by the door waiting.

"Akamaru and I will take you home after you are done talkin' to Tsunade. Okay Hinata?" Kiba squeezed her shoulder and Hinata gave Kiba, Shino, and Neji her signature smile and waved goodbye to them as the three exited.

Hinata quick turned her attention to the Fifth in front of her. Dark circles were under the Fifth's eyes as she returned Hinata's look and smirked.

"Would you like to know your 'punishment' Hinata Hyuuga?" Hinata gave a swift nod and Tsunade leaned back into the cushions behind her and stated. "You will be the caretaker slash guard of Team Hawk once they are released from ANBU." Hinata's eyes enlarged and the Fifth continued. "You showed you could handle them very well in Iron Country. I suppose they will respect you begrudgingly for this and will listen to you. This will only happen if they cooperate however, if Team Hawk does not cooperate with the ANBU or plan to be hostile, they will be executed." Tsunade ended harshly and Hinata nodded at the Hokage. "You can have assistance from your Team and your cousin, otherwise no one else from the Rookie Nine or Team Gai is to assist in your mission. If anything comes up that a member of Team Hawk would be better suited to be watched or cared by someone outside yourself, I will either make the change myself beforehand or listen to the request and then decide. Do you understand and wish to undertake this mission?"

Hinata messed with her hands, ignoring the pain that briefly flashed through her body, as she thought about what the Hokage had placed before her. _What could it hurt? This mission would make sure her efforts did not go to waste and it would be a big honor. One that the council and her father could not argue…_ "Yes I understand Hokage-sama and," Hinata took a breath, "I wish to undertake the said mission if Team Hawk cooperates with ANBU."

"I thought you would. Now, lets get down to business and get you back to a bed so you can rest up. Chakra exhaustion is not a fun experience, I know." Tsunade smiled at her small joke and Hinata joined her. "So start with the moment you decided to leave Konoha to go after Sasuke."

Hinata nodded and started to retell her side of the story. She gave all the facts of her fight with Team Hawk and informed the Hokage of the words that she and Neji exchanged with the Raikage and also where Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji were. She left out the bits where Suigetsu had kissed her and made the comment about her being better looking than his teammate Karin.

She didn't feel those were important to the report.

Tsunade nodded and Shizune recorded Hinata's oral report. By the time Hinata finished, she was beginning to fall asleep from exhaustion as well begin to feel the dull throb increase in her body. Tsunade excused Hinata and she shakily rose and walked out of the tent under her own power.

As soon as she exited the tent, Akamaru appeared beside her and Hinata leaned heavily against the beloved nin-dog. She closed her eyes and laid her head against the side of Akamaru. She inhaled the scent of the dog and absently petted him. She stilled when she heard footsteps approaching.

"Hinata! Hey are you okay?" Kiba shook his teammate slightly and she opened one eye and smiled weakly. "Let me help you up and get you home. Shino is going to report next. Neji is going to be with us too." Hinata nodded and let Kiba lift her up onto Akamaru. She rested on her stomach across the back of the nin-dog and closed her eye again as they began the walk back to the Hyuuga complex in the late evening.

*

Things were winding down in Iron Country. The ANBU from Konoha had arrived and dealt with Danzo and his escorts. They were knocked out and then promptly taken away. The Sixth Hokage hadn't rebelled or done anything to warrant such an indignity at the present but past offenses gave the ANBU enough reason to swoop in and perform the maneuver.

Team Ten were slightly miffed that nothing had happened but were happy to hear the news that the Fifth was awake and well. They decided that they would rather have that than fighting.

The Summit had come to end. The Raikage was headed off to find his brother, where ever the singing fool was, and make sure he stayed out of trouble. His two guards simply were to trail along and make amends if the Raikage accidently broke something that he should not of. The Mizukage and her two guards were going to return to Rain Country where they were going to settle the area where the Pein had ruled and hoped for some kind of peace. They were also going to see if they could find the blue haired companion of Pein, Konan. The Tsikage and his two guards were headed back to home. They were to find if most of the Akasuki were indeed dead and find out who was still alive. Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro were assisting Rock Country in find out who was still alive and not. Overall, good things had resulted from the Summit and most walked away hopeful that lines would remain open and they would be united against any threat that wished to oppose the five shinobi nations.

The Team Ten made their good-byes and left in the company of Kakashi and Yamato. They started on their way back to Konoha to fill in the Fifth about what had happened at the Summit and the plans that had been made. They were also to fill in the Hokage about what Konoha's job was in the mix of things. Since most of the Akasuki were killed by Konoha shinobi, they were to re-account every death to make sure that they had not been resurrected or miraculous survived.

Shikamaru thought it was troublesome but understood the reasoning behind the thinking, though it was going to painful. He sighed and continued to keep alert as the five man cell continued its journey back to Konoha.

*

He supposed he should have expected the thank you he got from ANBU. Nursing his bleeding lip, Sasuke leaned against his head against the wall in his cell. He, after all, had been the subject of a massive man hunt then had become the pupil of Orochimaru, which effectively made him a missing-nin. Wincing as he shifted slightly, Sasuke smirked.

He had been right, though, about one thing. They wouldn't kill him, at least not yet. They were suspicious but once the rest of his team confirmed his story, he was sure they would put them on probation. But that would put a dent into his wanting to kill Danzo because then they wouldn't be in the same building. Oh well. He would figure something out.

The cell door screeched open and Karin and Suigetsu were shoved in. The two briefly stumbled as they were shoved in. Sasuke noticed they weren't beaten as his was.

How nice.

Karin was the first to notice him and she rushed over. Sasuke closed his eyes as she began to mutter things under her breath. _'At least sometimes she can be serious,' _he thought as the pain lessened but was still there. He opened his eyes and Karin stepped away.

"I can heal a little bit but otherwise I don't have enough chakra at my control." She stated. "They beat you up pretty bad…"

Suigetsu snorted in the back ground and laid down on the cot. "I want to know if Jugo has gone off yet. Ya suppose the chakra restraints would keep him from goin' ballistic?"

Karin shrugged. "We'll know if he does, but if the interview goes as mine did, he won't change."

"I kindly informed the ANBU about him. Though, in hindsight I suppose it would have been quite a show." Suigetsu sat straight up while Karin paused and took a step back to look at their leader.

"Speckles… Make sure he's all right in the head… ANBU must of done something funky to him…" Suigetsu stage whispered to the red-head. Karin pursed her lips at the nickname that Suigetsu had taken to using and actually rechecked Uchiha discreetly.

'_Chakra's normal… well as normal as it can under restraint.'_ She thought and tapped her cheek with her index finger. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I also informed them of your specialties, along with the reasons why I choose you guys to be part of my team in the first place. I'm sure Konoha will put you to good use." Sasuke stated.

"You make us sound like cattle." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Suigetsu and he backed off. "Okay… Sheesh. Stop looking at me like that. Don't take your feelings toward Konoha out on me," He pointed to Karin, "Speckles will be much more obliging." Karin snarled at Suigetsu's statement while Sasuke just sighed and rubbed his temple.

He wished Konoha would hurry up already.

*

Dawn came all too soon. The shinobi that had traveled from Iron had arrived in the middle of the night and Danzo was secured in a high security cell. No one from Root was to see him and his guards from the Summit were being intensely interrogated.

Tsunade had heard all of the reports from her shinobi and was exhausted.

"So much to do and so few shinobi…" Tsunade muttered under her breath as she sipped her sake. Repairing the village was coming nicely along. Many were doing it for free or for a much reduced cost.

And now Konoha had to go through paper work and waste man power go back to battle sites to make sure all of the Akatsuki her shinobi had killed, had stayed dead. Plus the added burden of Danzo and Team Hawk.

Tsunade rubbed her temple. Apparently Sasuke Uchiha had been very talkative and his teammates had affirmed his story. And their testimonies had their own flavor so the ANBU knew they weren't coached or rehearsed. She was wondering though, if this was a well played ruse. She sighed and rubbed her temples harder.

Hinata would be able to handle them, she had proven herself in Iron Country. She might only have to worry about the Uchiha and Hozoki since Tsunade had already decided to see for herself what Karin knew and how she might be able to use her medic abilities and see about the boy whom the curse seal originated. She might be able to glean information from the girl who had helped Orochimaru and Kabuto with various experiments.

Tsunade slowly rose and stretched. She would hold a meeting that included the Rookie Nine and Team Gai and inform them what was happening to Team Hawk and how they would play a part and along with the obligations they were to perform for the Five Nations. She had got the message yesterday that the Hokage Tower was complete so she would move her place of business there and hold the meeting. Tsunade smirked to herself as she imagined the various reactions from her young shinobi.

Today was going to be more exciting the last.

*

Sasuke could hear quiet whispers on the other side of the double doors. His face didn't betray anything as the ANBU opened the door to escort his team into the meeting room. The whispers died down as his team was placed in front of the female Hokage. Jugo was on Sasuke's right while Karin occupied his left and Suigetsu stood on Karin's right.

The large busted woman in front of them smirked as she leaned back in her chair and nodded at the ANBU to shut the door.

"So, Sasuke Uchiha. How pleasant of you to finally return to Konoha and you even brought friends! You even have been very forth coming with information." Sasuke heard whispers behind him at this information because they could tell the Hokage was being serious with the latter. He brought his attention back to the Fifth. "Because of this and because you never have technically killed anyone of the Leaf, I believe I can use your ninja within the village." Gasps issued from the back of the room and the Fifth gave a hard glare to the some of the twelve behind him.

"Use my ninja how?" Sasuke asked and the Fifth's smirk turn into a hybrid smirk/ grin.

"Your medical nin Karin will be placed under my apprentices' care and supervision and all three of them will learn from another in the hospital. I believe that she also will have some insight into your teammate's… issue." Karin seemed rather shocked and pleased at the Hokage's order for Karin knew who the Fifth was and was honored that the great medical-nin herself would let her work in the hospital. Karin nodded in understanding and the Fifth moved on.

"As for you, Jugo, I believe, I think my old teammate made some promise to you that he did not keep at all. If you will let me, I will try to find a way to calm your rage or possibly even cure it. In the meanwhile, I believe you have talent with animals and I believe I can set you up to work in the Aviary." Jugo, like Karin, was shocked at the woman's offer. He seemed to roll the information around in his head before nodding in agreement. The back of the room seemed rather shocked how well Team Hawk was accepting the Hokage's offers, but then again the offers were better than death.

"As for you Sasuke Uchiha and Suigetsu Hozoki, you will be simply muscle around town. If you didn't see as you were being escorted in, we are in the middle of rebuilding, thanks to Pein. We need help rebuilding and we simply don't have enough resources at the moment, which brings me to why we have an audience today." At this the Leaf Shinobi in the back paid closer attention. "The Kage Summit has a duty for Konoha. We are to return to the sites of where our ninja killed members of the Akatsuki and make sure they are dead." Team Ten nodded stiffly as Asuma's dead flashed through their minds as the other teams simply nodded or looked miffed that their skills as ninja were in doubt.

Tsunade's eyes slid to Sasuke. "You Uchiha have killed two of the Akatsuki. We need to know where and how so we can make sure."

"Why can't I show you myself?" Sasuke asked haughtily and Tsunade laughed.

"You just got here Sasuke! I thought you would like to stay around for a bit." The Fifth looked behind him for a moment and then added as an after thought, "Of course, if your guard accompanies you with some ANBU I'm sure I could possibly arrange it."

Sasuke's eyebrow rose, "My guard?"

Tsunade clicked her tongue in correction. "The team's guard. She will be watching your team so you don't get into any trouble and also so you don't make any last minute vacations."

"She?" A questioning voice rose from the back of the twelve.

"Oh yes… About that," Tsunade smiled. "Your guard will be someone you have already met in the last couple of days." Sasuke rolled his eyes as he had met the entire population in the room and the back the room seemed slightly less enthused at the Hokage's round about way of revealing things. "Your guard and caretaker will be, Hinata Hyuuga. Hinata, please come forward."

The room was silent as they all looked at Hinata step forward and approach the Hokage. Sasuke was honestly shocked at the Hokage's choice but didn't show it as Suigetsu was happy that it was the pretty Hyuuga, Karin seemed resigned and Jugo was indifferent.

"Hinata Hyuuga, we talked about this last night. You understand your duties correct?"

"Yes Hokage-sama." Hinata nodded firmly.

"Well then, beginning tomorrow what I have said will take place. Those who have had dealings with the Akatsuki will report tomorrow morning for more instructions while Team Hawk will begin their work schedules. Everyone but Hinata and Team Hawk are dismissed." Tsunade looked at the eleven shinobi behind the group and they all departed slowly.

When they finally left, the Fifth gave the four sound shinobi the harshest glare and spoke acidly, "If you so much as step out of line I will have you thrown back into jail and find a justified way of executing you. You will obey what Hinata Hyuuga says and if you don't she has permission to deal with as she sees fit. Most of the population does not know you joined with the Akatsuki, if they did what I am doing now would cause a riot. Do not mention your past either." She looked at the other three as she said this. "You agreed to what I suggested so I advise you stick to that or you will face the consequences."

The four shinobi nodded as the Fifth looked over the Hyuuga. "Hinata, if they cause any trouble or are doing anything that is suspicious, you are to report to me immediately. Understood?" Hinata nodded and Fifth smiled gently at her before rounding back to the other four. "You will be taken back to you cell for today and tomorrow you will more appealing arrangements. All of you dismissed."

With that the Fifth turned her chair around to the window as the Team Hawk was escorted out by ANBU and Hinata quietly followed, expecting to be bombarded with questions as soon as she left the room.

*****

_*waves* _

_Hi! I finally updated after 4 months. Slightly ridiculous I think even by my standards… I have done some one-shots in between and updated Locker Conversations between college being college. I really should be working on my two book reviews right now but I decided to take a break and update here. _

_Thank you all for the reviews, alerts, and favs! I can't believe so many people like this, support it and have stuck with it! :D _

_*If you have any questions or other things drop a line or ask it in the review and I'll get back to you! :] _

_Review if you have the time please! _

_Dis: I do not own Naruto. Kishi does._


	9. Chapter 9

The shinobi which were told to exit the Hokage's room early haunted the hall around the corner. All were wondering where and when the Hokage had decided to make Hinata Hyuuga the guard of the one of the most powerful shinobi of their generation. They leaned in various ways of relaxation about the hall, some more relaxed than others.

"No wonder Tsunade told us to scat last night. This must of what took them so long…" Kiba muttered to Shino. The bug user nodded and folded his arms.

"The question is why did she agree to such an arrangement?" Shino muttered back.

"Isn't that obvious?" Neji interjected from his place in the hall. "She wants to impress the elders. They weren't too happy that she disobeyed orders and literally threw herself in front of the most dangerous man in all of the shinobi world."

"What? Hinata got in trouble for that?" Naruto bolted up from his position on the floor. Everyone turned their gaze to Neji who elbowed the wall to push away from it and walked over to Naruto who stood up. Sakura came up and touched Naruto's shoulder.

"Yes. Then she went on this adventure… I don't know whether or not the council will be happy that she has such a mission as a result of it or angry that she went off to put herself in trouble again. If she does, it will be your entire fault." Neji poked Naruto in the chest. "It was all to make you happy and I hope you are."

Naruto had a look of complete disbelief on his face as he looked around at the rest of the Leaf shinobi. They all nodded as he looked at them and some looked away.

"So I didn't imagine that? Hinata really said and did that?" Naruto whispered. Neji's eyes narrowed and he nodded stiffly.

"That is the report I got when I arrived. Ask Sakura, she knows more." Naruto turned to Sakura and she nodded as she bit her lip.

"It's true." She stated with a shrug. "We all assumed that you had heard her because of the reaction that ensued."

"So she probably thinks I've been ignoring her…" Naruto trailed off and looked back towards the way of the Hokage's office.

"Nah. Ya think? Of course, you have never noticed her before so what is the difference now?" Kiba angrily snarled and he made a gesture toward Naruto and Sakura. "And you hooked up with Sakura so wasn't that just a giant nail in the coffin for her?" The pair's faces looked shocked and Kiba laughed bitterly. "You think we wouldn't notice?"

"We are all shinobi here." Ino added and Sakura looked towards her friend. "We notice little things. I figured when I left you and Naruto you would say something. Of course, I think I can state for all of us that we thought Naruto had talked to Hinata about what she said." Ino gave a hard glare to Naruto.

"Why else would she of taken off like that?" Tenten spoke twirling a kunai. There was a very odd sense of tension in the room. The mixture of things being revealed along with the current status of certain people together had escaladed from the original tension.

This is what Hinata Hyuuga walked into. She saw that her teammates along with her cousin were irritated, Naruto and Sakura looked like someone had killed their puppy, Ino was glaring daggers at Naruto while Shikamaru looked like he wanted to go get a smoke, and Tenten looked rather menacing twirling that kunai.

"Um… Am I interrupting something?" Hinata quietly asked as she stood away from the group of her friends. Eleven pairs of eyes all moved to her at once. "Because I need to talk to Kiba, Shino and Neji…." She quietly trailed off as the said boys headed towards the door. "I guess not…" She muttered. "See you guys later." Hinata smiled as she gave a small wave as she followed the three boys out of the Tower.

….

"I would be glad to offer my assistance whenever you would need it Hinata." Shino stated as both Kiba and Neji nodded in agreement to Shino's statement.

"Same here."

"I agree with your teammates."

Hinata smiled brightly at three most important men in her life agreeing to helping her out with her mission. "Thank you. Though hopefully I won't need much help."

"It's Sasuke. Something will happen." Kiba paused then smiled wolfishly. "You will probably spend more time sending away fan girls who believe they can change him."

"Let's hope not." Neji grumbled as Hinata giggled.

"I will essentially be a babysitter." Hinata murmured to no one in particular.

"Guard is the more correct term. The people you are watching were effectively part of the Akatsuki." Shino reminded her. "So don't take your job lightly."

"I don't at all. Tsunade has put her trust in me. I don't intend to break it." Hinata stated determinedly and the three young men around her didn't doubt her words.

…

The tension that Hinata had walked in on had dissipated between the young Leaf shinobi waiting outside the Hokage's office. Lee and Tenten had exited a few moments after Hinata walked away mumbling something about a team sparing session. Shikamaru mentioned something about checking on Kurenai and Chouji and Ino volunteered to tag along. Shikamaru shrugged and Team Ten waved good-bye to the members of Team Kakashi.

Sai, Naruto, and Sakura stood in an awkward circle. Naruto was still processing the fact that with in the last week that he had been confessed too by two girls and the fact that he hadn't imaged the first one. Sai was rather content with the way things were flowing and Sakura felt guilty for she had thought the same as everyone as what happened between Naruto and Hinata.

"You need to talk to her." Sakura stated simply to Naruto as he started and nodded solemnly.

"Yeah… I figured that. I feel like a huge asshole." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I guess I should have asked somebody what happened and if I didn't image it."

"Probably should have." Sai added with a slight smirk. Nartuo narrowed his eyes at Sai briefly before dismissing him.

"I'll go see if I can find her outside with the guys. I bet they are done talking by now. Though… I wonder if I really want to have this conversation with them in hearing distance."

Sakura snorted while Sai cocked his head at the statement. "Why does it matter? They can't cut off anything because you don't have anything there in the first place."

Sakura gapped at Sai while Naruto felt a vein throb above his eye. "What did you just imply Ink-pot?" Naruto cracked his knuckles as Sai smiled bemusedly at his teammate.

"I said you don't have to worry Naruto because you have nothing to lose." Sai step-sided Naruto's left hook and took off out the door followed by a pissed off Naruto. Sakura stared after her teammates before following behind to make sure no one was hurt too bad.

Or maybe she should let Sai learn the importance of keeping his thoughts to himself.

…

Hinata started when she heard Naruto's yelling. She, along with Kiba and Shino (Neji had stated there was a team spar scheduled and so left after Hinata's initial request) turned to see the blonde chasing after his pale teammate. A few moments later, Sakura appeared and wandered over to the three who were watching Sai and Naruto battle it out.

"What have I missed?" Sakura asked she leaned against a tree. Shino raised an eyebrow but Hinata spoke.

"Nothing really. Sai is currently dodging though. I think he is secretly pleased about something." Sakura shook her head and murmured something under her breath that caused Kiba to laugh. Sakura looked startled at the Inuzuka before smiling sheepishly.

"Same old joke?" Kiba asked good naturedly toward the female member of Team Seven. It wasn't her fault. She had been under the same impression as the rest of them.

"Yes." Sakura sighed and squinted at the two blurs moving. "I would think by now Sai would know better. Though I wonder if he enjoys getting a rise out of Naruto, because it is so easy and also he gets to see the emotions."

"Makes sense." Shino quietly stated. "One is to hope that after this Danzo business dies down Sai will be free." Sakura started at the bug user's words and slowly nodded in realization.

An explosion brought the four back to battle going on. Sakura's eyes enlarged before dashing off towards her teammates, leaving Team Eight behind briefly before they decided to tag along.

"Take that Ink-pot! Like to see you come up with something now!" Naruto taunted as Sai unflinchingly stood up after being hit. He was slowing getting used to sparing Naruto along with Sakura's punches. Building up resistance was a good thing here.

"Naruto! Sai! Are you guys okay?" Sakura asked in full medic mode checked Sai then Naruto. Team Eight stood within hearing distance.

"Perfectly fine Ha- Sakura." Sai quickly corrected himself as he saw Sakura ball up a fist. Naruto chuckled at Sai's revision but it died off when he saw who had tagged along with Sakura. Hinata, Kiba, and Shino walked over and joined Team Kakashi.

"Hey guys." Naruto stated with a wave. Kiba and Shino gave a pointed look towards him while Hinata just smiled like nothing was wrong. Like he hadn't ignored her or crushed her heart or anything. Naruto cleared his throat. "Um… Hinata."

"Yes Naruto?" She quietly responded with the smile still on her face.

"Can I have a word with you?" Naruto scratched the back of his head. Hinata kept her features neutral and nodded. "Um… privately?" She nodded again and the pair walked over to a tree on the opposite side of where their teammates stayed.

Hinata clenched her hands in front of her so she wouldn't resort to poking her fingers together as she stood in front the shinobi who had been the source of strength since childhood. She placed a calm smile on her face and looked up at him.

Naruto was scratching the back of his head and that caused Hinata's smile to become more natural. "What do you wish to talk to me about Naruto?" She quietly asked and Naruto blew air out of his mouth.

"It's more along the lines of apologizing…" Naruto murmured and Hinata eyes enlarged but she didn't say anything. "I should have asked what happened during the fight with Pein. To make sure or check what I heard wasn't my imagination." He looked at her sorrowfully. "I honestly thought I was hearing things and when he stabbed you… I went berserk because you were a friend. A classmate. And when things were said and done, no one mentioned you confessing your feelings so I assumed that I just imagined the words and that you just jumped in front just because you couldn't stand what was happening. I should have talked to you earlier. I should of-"

"Naruto." Hinata stated and placed a hand on his arms as he was beginning to wave about. She smiled as she held his hands to calm him. "It's okay."

"But-"

"I understand. A lot happened that day. If anything, it made Sakura realize that she loves you as much as you love her. I couldn't stand it if you felt obligated to me and in the process hurt her and yourself." Hinata felt tears coming to her eyes. _I will not cry!_ She informed herself and smiled up at him.

"Hinata… But what about you? I consider you a true friend and I hate that I am a source of trouble between you and your family. Neji said that the council wasn't very happy that you jumped out in front of me the first place." Hinata's laughter bubbled out of her at Naruto's words. Naruto looked incredulously at her. "Hinata?"

"I really do not care what the council thinks of me right now. The fact that I stood up to one of the most dangerous men alive and lived through it and the fact I also incapacitated Sasuke Uchiha and his team by myself makes me really not fear them." Hinata grinned up at him and Naruto returned the grin. "I will always be here for you Naruto." Hinata then leaned over kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks Hinata. You really are a true friend." Naruto grinned and Hinata blushed. "Now! If the Teme gives you any trouble you come to me alright? I will be sure to set him straight!" Hinata giggled and patted Naruto on the shoulder.

"I will let you know." She stated quietly and looked over at their teammates. "We should go now."

"Yeah." Naruto looked over too then grinned at Hinata as he placed an arm around her. "You know this is a new beginning for our friendship." He stated as he half hugged her.

"Yes. Yes it is." Hinata stated quietly as the duo walked back to their teammates.

…

"So she just is going to put that girl in charge of us?" Karin asked incredulously as Team Hawk settled into their last night in their ANBU jail cell.

"I doubt it Karin." Sasuke stated coolly. "I am sure we will have an ANBU guard in the shadows as well. The woman isn't Hokage for fun."

"Hopefully we will get re-instated for active duty soon. Maybe even some combat." Karin rolled her eyes at Suigetsu as Jugo raised an eyebrow.

"I doubt that." Jugo stated. "I believe the Lady Hokage sentenced you and Sasuke to manual labor for an indefinite amount of time."

Suigetsu snorted and muttered, "Spoil sport."

"Oh get over it you blood thirsty fish." Karin spat.

"Go bite yourself Speckles." Suigestsu retorted as Karin snarled and advanced toward her offending teammate. Suigetsu smirked in anticipation and prepared to counter when Jugo stepped in front of the red head medic.

"This is not needed. We are just all cooped up. It will be better in a few days." Jugo stated seriously as Sasuke idly watched from his cot.

"He better hope so!" Karin acidly informed her giant teammate before stomping off to her corner. Suigetsu pouted slightly but took a sip of water from his bottle before going to his cot and lying down. Sasuke rubbed his eyes in irritation.

_How do I live with these people?_ He asked himself as he waited for tomorrow.

…

Something was wrong.

Konan uneasily shifted as she quietly checked her surroundings as she returned to grave of her fallen comrade. Keeping her face blank and preparing some paper, Konan approached the grave that she had made a week ago.

Nobody was around. Konan approached the grave still on guard as she placed some paper flowers she had made in a vase. She arranged them before she realized what was different.

Someone had disturbed Nagato's grave. The dirt was newly turned. Konan quickly performed an earth jutsu to lift the earth away from the small wooden coffin that she had purchased and ripped opened the coffin.

It was empty! _Why? Why would someone… _ Konan gasped as she realized it.

_He _was the only one who would dare disturb the dead. He perfected that jutsu right before he left the organization. Konan clenched her teeth and quickly replaced the earth and transported herself to her sleeping quarters and changed into her travel clothes minus her black cloak with red clouds. She would prove to be an ally yet to Konoha and inform the Hokage of what had happened and what she suspected.

She just hoped she wouldn't be killed on sight.

…

_Um… So I guess I have a thing for updating this every four months? Ugh I am horrible. So sorry. Slowly getting to the plot. ::everyone looks around and whispers:: There's plot to this?_

_*cough* Anyways…__ Thank you all for the reviews, alerts, and favs! They make me happy! (and encourage me to update faster! Lol.)_

_Thanks for reading! Please review if you have time! :]_

_Dis: 'Tis Kishi that Naruto belong to._


	10. Chapter 10

Hinata wondered if the ANBU that were in the shadows outside the house were laughing. She wanted very much to laugh at the current situation but suppose it would have a negative effect.

Even though they had no weapons and minimal chakra, Suigetsu and Karin were growling at each other over a room. A ROOM. Hinata seriously doubted that such an instance had happened before. Ever. The giant man Jugo was leaning against his door jam smiling slightly at the exchange while Sasuke looked ready to kill them both.

_That wouldn't do_. Hinata thought as she gracefully moved forward and pushed the two apart forcefully. Both teens grunted and looked at their guard who took a step back. "Please don't argue. What is the issue in the first place?" Hinata asked calmly though inside she was shaking.

"I don't know Hyuuga but Speckles over here threw a fit when I claimed this room." Hinata felt the urge to smile at Suigetsu's use of Kiba's nickname of the red headed medic but refrained and turned to Karin with what hopefully was an open expression.

The red head glowered at her teammate for the use of the nickname and clenched her fist as she ground out, "This has the biggest bathroom."

"Precisely why I should have it! It has a huge tub that I can soak in." Suigetsu smirked at Karin letting his fang hang out.

"No I should have it because it is on the ground floor and I will be able to sense those about us better." Karin tossed back acidly and placed her hands on her hips.

"Nooooo. You just want it because it is close to Sasuke." Karin eyes shot daggers at Suigetsu whose smirk turned into a grin in triumph.

"Is that why _you_ want it Suigetsu?" Karin shot back and Hinata gapped at the accusation while Sasuke and Jugo groaned inwardly. Suigetsu eyes widened before narrowing dangerously at Karin.

"Are you trying to say something _Speckles?_" He snarled advancing on the medic with murder in his eyes at such a statement.

Hinata interfered again placing herself between the two Hawk members. "W-Why don't you two share it?" That statement made Suigetsu stop dead in his tracks and stare at the Hyuuga heiress along with his teammates. Hinata blushed at such a statement as she realized how it sounded.

"Suigetsu. Karin. Quit your bickering. Suigetsu claimed the room first. Go to the other room Karin." Sasuke stated stonily. Suigetsu grinned in triumph while Karin griped.

"Ha! In your face Speckles." The swordsman crowed.

"You better hope you don't need my help any time soon." Karin snarled back at the water loving teen as she scaled the stairs and headed towards the last empty room.

Oh yes. The ANBU were definitely laughing.

… …

"I wonder how Hinata is getting along with guard duty." Kiba asked as he blocked Shino's thrown kunai with his shuriken.

"I am sure she is getting on fine. She did say she would ask for our help if she needed it." Shino responded and subtly created a jutsu.

"I know, I know. But I am just worried that she might take more that she can- Ack!" Kiba received a mouth full of kikai bugs. "Bleck! That was dirty Shino. I thought we agreed no jutsu's!"

"Did we?" Shino asked and Kiba sighed exasperated.

"Okay so we didn't but that is usually the unspoken rule isn't it?"

"When Hinata is around because the ones she attacks with can permanently damage ones internal organs." Shino responded back.

"Fine. Be that way you sneaky bastard."

"I don't believe you can not use that term on me. I have a father."

Kiba rolled his eyes at his teammates logic. "You always have to have the last word?"

"No. Do you?"

And with that Shino masterfully changed the subject off of their team mate and back onto themselves.

… …

Neji was fighting his instincts to go check up on his cousin. She was perfectly capable of handling the charges she was placed in charge of but that didn't relax his worrying. He hit the board again he had been practicing on with his kunai. He savagely ripped out the said kunai and jump back again to throw when a voice spoke out.

"What has the board done to earn Neji Hyuuga's wrath?"

"Ten-Ten." Neji paused and looked at his brunette teammate as she eyed the board.

"Your aim is getting better. No as good as mine but…" She grinned as Neji crossed his arms. "Well enough."

"Thank you." Neji stated slightly amused. "I can beat you in other things though."

Ten-Ten sighed. "Yes I know that but I will forever be the better weapon handler between the two of us!" She enthusiastically stated.

Neji smirked slightly at his sparring partner. "Yes but the trick is that one you hit me with your weapons you will be the best of all."

Ten-Ten rolled her eyes. "And when will that happen?"

"I don't know, but you can try today if you wish."

"Is that a challenge Neji Hyuuga?" Ten-Ten asked as she grabbed a few shuriken from her pouch.

"I don't know. Would you like it to be?" Neji asked putting on a face indifference as he continued to smirk.

"Sure." Ten-Ten smirked and flung her shuriken starting their spar.

… …

"Tsunade-sensei… You want me to be in charge of her?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"Yes Sakura. I believe you can learn from each other." Tsunade responded looking that the paper in front of her.

"But!" Sakura sputtered.

"No buts Sakura. You will be in charge of Karin when she is in the hospital. That's final." Sakura had a defeated expression on her face.

"Yes Tsunade-sensei. I will do as you ask." Sakura bowed and left the room and Tsunade looked up from the piece of paper in her hand to Shizune.

"I am making the right decision right?"

"Lady Tsunade, I believe Sakura would rather lose an argument than let a patient die if that is what you are alluding to." Shizune stated as she picked up the completed paperwork.

"Good. I figured as much but kunoichi these days…" Tsunade shook her head. "They scare me. They are getting more unpredictable."

Shizune laughed. "I believe that is only in battle Lady Tsunade. Only in battle."

"And who said love wasn't a battle?" Tsunade muttered as she continued to shift through her paperwork.

"My Lady… Are you not aware of Sakura and Naruto's changing the status of their relationship?" Shizune asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"What change?" Tsunade asked absently as she read a report of the trade between Suna and Konoha.

"Well… They are together."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "They are always together Shizune. They are team mates. It is natural for one to be friends with their team mates." She explained this as if talking to an ignorant person.

Shizune pinked and couldn't believe that Tsunade wasn't getting it. _Dear Kami… is she beginning not process things without sake?_ Shizune thought worriedly. "My Lady… The news back from Iron Country is that Naruto and Sakura are an _item._"

"WHAT?" Tsunade shouted. "And they didn't tell me? When did you hear this?"

Shizune coughed. "Well… I over heard a conversation between Rookie nine members about Naruto not talking to Hinata before getting together with Sakura…" A look of indignation at Naruto for being disrespectfully cropped up and Shizune quickly continued. "But apparently all is fine because he did talk to Hinata and she understood. I do believe though once she was out of sight her team mates did give him a good punch."

"Hn. Good." Tsunade stated and went back to her paperwork. "Thank you Shizune. You may deliver that paper work now." Tsunade waved her off and Shizune nodded and left the Hokage's room. As soon as she disappeared, Tsunade produced a sake bottle and took a swig. "Thank Kami for sake." She spoke as she began to finish up her paper work for the day.

It was easier to handle that teenagers.

… …

Hinata was meditating on the floor of the two story house that Team Hawk had been sentenced to. The members had all turned in early, which Hinata had regarded with slight suspicion and had checked every minute with her Byakugan only to see that the team had gone to bed. She supposed ANBU prison cells weren't the best sleeping arrangements. Hinata idly activated her Byakugan and made a sweep of the house. She saw a flash of chakra to her left and focused on it. It was Jugo and he was asleep but… _His chakra is swirling!_

A loud snarl erupted from Jugo and it started Hinata out of her bloodline. The snarl was followed by a roar. Karin's door flew open and slammed against the wall as Karin quickly sprinted to the giant's room. Suigetsu and Sasuke soon followed. Hinata reactivated her bloodline and saw the massive chakra emitting from Jugo as she joined Team Hawk.

"What is going on?" She asked sharply as she walked quickly into the room. "He shouldn't have that much chakra available to him." Karin glanced from her position at Jugo's head at Sasuke and he gave a nod.

"Jugo is the origin of the curse seal." Hinata nodded, she had heard this. "His rage pops up once in while when he sleeps, mostly when he is having nightmares. Right now he is still sleep, we need to wake him up so it doesn't fully develop." Karin was all business as she stated and didn't hold contempt in her voice.

"Would you like me to help? I can help by hitting a couple of points. It should wake him up." Hinata stated and Karin nodded her acceptance.

As the two discussed which would be the best way, Sasuke and Suigetsu stood in the doorway. The two looked at the two girls, watching what had transpired.

"You know," Suigetsu spoke quietly. "I really didn't believe you when you said they would give us probation and put us under house arrest." Sasuke just smirked in response. "It does inspire a sense of gratitude in a person, being given a second chance. No wonder Leaf shinobi are the way they are."

"It's the Will of Fire." Sasuke muttered remembering something Itachi said a long ago. Suigetsu raised his eyebrows in surprise. "We will defend our homeland with everything we have and always install it in the next generation." Sasuke had an amused look on his face as he ended his little statement as Suigetsu gave a low whistle.

"It's ingrained isn't it?"

"I guess. I supposed that is why I never did do anything to Konoha but at the same time I am furious and want to harm those who have done wrong to my clan. But I realize that was the people in charge at the time and what they believed was for the good of the village. That's why I plan on killing them." Sasuke ended darkly.

"You know that wouldn't be able to carry out your plan for a long time right?" Suigetsu muttered as he saw that Jugo was coming to with the help of the Hyuuga. Karin was checking everything as he began to set up, his skin tone returning to its normal color.

"I know. But I will have chances and I won't waste them." Sasuke stated as Hinata and Karin turned towards them.

"You guys can go back to bed now. Jugo is fine now." Hinata stated quietly.

"Good." Suigetsu yawned and stretched. "Night Hyuuga." He stated as headed to bed.

"I will see if I can do anything." Sasuke muttered and advanced towards the giant.

Hinata started slightly and Karin nodded and stated sweetly, "Good night Sasuke," as she left to go to her room. Hinata stood awkwardly in the room as Sasuke conversed with the giant low tones. She saw Jugo relax more and settle more into his bed after the talk with the Uchiha.

"He will be fine now." Sasuke stated at the Hyuuga.

"Okay." Hinata responded as she stood in the doorway. "Will you please exit first?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the request and the Hyuuga's cheeks darkened. "You still are technically a prisoner of Konoha and so you are to exit the room followed by me." She explained. Sasuke rolled his eyes discreetly.

"Whatever Hyuuga." He stated as he exited Jugo's room. Hinata followed and shut Jugo's door behind her.

"Thank you and Goodnight." Hinata stated softly to the Uchiha. He briefly paused and nodded to the Hyuuga before heading back to his room. Hinata sighed and went down stairs to resume her position meditating until she was relieved for the night by the extra ANBU.

… …

_What's this? Fergie20 is updating in a month! ::gasps:: Your eyes are not tricking you. I am updating! I actually planned this because a year ago I started this story! ::can't believe it herself:: Thank you for your support and sticking for me this long! ::gives out cookies:: _

_Thank you all for the reviews, alerts, and favs! They make me so happy! And thank you to my faithful reviewers. You know who you are._

_Read and Review if you have the time! Thank you! :]_

_Dis: Naruto belongs to the Kishi. Not I._


	11. Chapter 11

She was exhausted. Coming from Ame was a long journey but she had to talk to him so he could share her information with the right shinobi. She rested against the trunk of a tree briefly and collected herself before locating a special bouquet. She sincerely hoped the blond had kept the present. Besides the fact that it showed her faith in the boy and his dream, it also allowed her to locate wherever the bouquet is placed.

As she concentrated, she felt the paper flowers thriving on top of a counter of sorts. Konan mouth quirked into a smile, _He likes plants…_ She thought as flowers told her they were taken care of. Meaning the blonde dusted them and they were placed in a spot where they were admired. Konan laughed quietly to herself. She didn't understand how her creations had self awareness but the feature helped her greatly. Konan grew more aware of her surroundings and made the hand seals to arrive near her paper flowers. She would find him and when she did would inform him of the impending danger and hopefully they would believe her.

_Hopefully…_

… …

She was babysitting. There was no other way to state it. It did not matter that these four had been part of the Akatsuki, she was babysitting teenagers. They had almost zero chakra allowed to them and she really did not want to see what these fights looked like when they did. Suigetsu and Karin tried all the time to one up the other, with Suigetsu trying to have the last word. It was almost like he was _trying_ to get the red haired medic to attack him. Which Hinata always put herself between the two when it came to that. She wondered how the Uchiha had put up with the two since it seemed as a child he loathed those who were loud and trying to get his attention. Though, technically the two were fighting each other over silly things that had to nothing with the attentions of Sasuke so she supposed he could deal with the noise.

Shaking her head, Hinata sighed continued to lead the four to the first designation of the day, the hospital. Karin and Jugo would be dropped off here into Sakura's care she was informed. Karin would fill in the pink haired medic about Jugo and hopefully the Hokage could figure out something to stop the young man's raging. As for the other two in her possession, she was to find an older man by the name of Tazuna and have Sasuke and Suigetsu help him. She would stay and help or leave them with the old man and then go stay out of sight while the two worked.

All Hinata wanted is for this first day of actual 'guarding' to go by without a hitch. But knowing the way life liked to treat her, she was not going to take it for granted. Hinata picked up muted murmurings about her and glanced at the Team Hawk. Karin looked exasperated and noticed the Hyuuga looking their way.

"Hey, Hyuuga." The red head stated and Hinata slowed down and walked beside the glasses wearing shinobi.

"You may call me Hinata. It would make this situation less awkward." Hinata stated quietly as her eyes sifted quickly around to see if anyone noticed the group moving through the town. "What has made you upset?"

Karin started for a moment at Hinata's request then nailing the reason why she called out in the first place. With more respect toward Hinata, Karin then asked, "What time will you… geesh this is cheesy… Be picking us up from the hospital?"

"Oh. Normal civilian hours. Should be back at the house by six at the latest unless Tsunade wishes you to stay longer or you have a patient that has to be monitored by you. Is that all?" Hinata responded to the question with no hesitation.

"Well, I was wondering, since it is obvious you will not be staying with Jugo and me in the hospital who will be watching us." Karin asked plainly and the others in the party listened in idly.

"Sakura and Shizune. They are both apprentices of Tsunade and highly respected. I wouldn't try anything. Shizune has thing for poison." Hinata smirked at the last part. "Though Sakura would most likely crush your insides." Hinata tilted her head at the red head and nodded at resumed the lead of the group.

"Well, that was a subtle threat." Jugo commented to the group.

"She has to be bluffing." Karin stated as she pursed her lips at the back of their guard.

"I wouldn't bet on it Karin." Sasuke muttered as he watched their guard ahead of them. "Our guard commented once that Sakura was one of the best medics and when she punched me she caused the right amount of damage to bruise but not to harm any organs. Plus we are on probation. If we do one thing out of line, I am sure our guards for the moment and the ANBU watching us will exterminate us gladly."

"Brighten up Uchiha. There are worse things." Suigetsu mentioned to his friend.

"And what is that Hozuki?" Sasuke asked as he glanced to his violet eyed friend before he returned his glaze to the Hyuuga in front of them.

"We could still be that Snake bastard's pets still. Or be part of Tobi or whatever his names plan of world domination. Or died fighting that Eight-Tails." Suigetsu mentioned.

"Hn." Was the only answer Suigetsu received from the Uchiha as he was still looking at the Hyuuga. Suigetsu noticed the object of the Uchiha's glaze and chuckled to himself.

_I am going to enjoy where this will lead._ He thought and smirked at all the disaster that was sure to ensue once the Uchiha realized he lusted after the Hyuuga heiress. Suigetsu might not have his chakra available to him but he still knew how to cause chaos. He would aggravate his friend and see how the Uchiha would react to his advances towards their guard.

And if it all lead to not, well he would have had some fun, wouldn't he?

… …

_Well this is awkward_… Sakura thought after Hinata had dropped off the girl Karin and the boy Jugo. Karin had her arms folded while Jugo simply stood by his teammate looking at her.

Sakura cleared her throat. "If you would just follow me then I will take you to where we will debrief the both of you and then start with the work." Sakura smiled wanly at the two. Karin sighed and nodded and Jugo smiled at Sakura.

"Go ahead." He stated and Sakura nodded and began to walk down the hall.

The apprentice gestured toward a hall. "This is where the ICU is. It is closest to the nurses' station because they are the most severe cases that need immediate care if something goes wrong." She glanced over her shoulder at the two. Karin seemed slightly surprised at the information while Jugo looked thoughtful. "You are being informed of such things so you know where to find various people later. It will be awhile until you will be a full nurse, but until then you will be a gopher and a helping hand about the hospital."

"Ah." Karin answered and they continued down the hall until they came to a door. Sakura opened it and gestured Karin and Jugo in. She followed the two in and shut the door.

"Okay. Well Jugo if you would just take a sit there on the examination table and Shizune should be here with Tsunade shortly." Sakura informed the two. Karin raised an eyebrow and took a seat next to the examination table that Jugo now occupied. She examined her nails and shivered. A new chakra signature had popped up but without her chakra available to her, Karin could not investigate the signature properly. _Though it is familiar for some reason. Huh. That's odd in a village that I only know under twenty people in. And I purposely made sure I familiarized myself with those that attended the meeting and it isn't one of them._

Karin continued to be occupied with her thoughts as Sakura idly gathered things for the upcoming examination with Jugo watching interested. All the pink haired girl was doing was doing was making sure there the room was stocked up and when something was low she made a sound and made a mental note to refill those later. A few moments later, the door opened and Shizune followed by Tsunade entered the room. Karin jolted up out of her seat while Jugo stood more smoothly and Sakura smiled warmly at her mentor.

"Well what are we waiting for? I have a full day and I am sure the three of you do not wish to stay in the room longer than necessary." Tsunade announced. "Let's what we can do."

And with that, began the long process of analyzing Jugo, which to the surprise of those present, went smoothly and they finished fairly quickly without any fuss.

… …

"Why hello Sasuke! I see that you're disagreement with Naruto has blown over. What brings you this way?" Tazuna greeted the once absent shinobi. Suigetsu raised an eyebrow at his friend in curiosity while Sasuke was fairly shocked to see a man from his past. The Uchiha was at a loss of words for the moment. _Disagreement? What the hell? Is that how he explained why I wasn't around?"_

"Well, as you so put it Mr. Tazuna, Naruto's and Sasuke's argument is blown over but since the way Sasuke exited the argument was rather…" Hinata searched for a reasonable word, "dramatic, he is on probation." She smiled at the old man from Wave country. "So this is why him and his friend, Suigetsu are here to help you for an extended period of time."

"Well. Things with you shinobi are never simple are they? Thank you Miss… ?" Tazuna asked.

"Hyuuga. Hinata Hyuuga. I am here to make sure things go smoothly." The Hyuuga heiress smiled. "Now can I be of any assistance or should I keep out of the way?"

Tazuna waved her off. "Go. I believe I will have enough help with these two and my grandson. You may go relax young lady." Hinata bowed to Tazuna before shooting a look of 'don't-you-dare-try-anything' to Sasuke and Suigetsu before disappearing.

"Now, for you two…" Tazuna began. "We are focusing on getting structures up in the business district. We are not cutting corners. Why should I short change a place that saved my country? You two start over there. We will get these buildings up in no time." Sasuke and Suigetsu looked at each other before heading over to where the old man pointed and began to work.

"So Sasuke, old friend?" Suigetsu asked as he played with the hammer on top of the pile of wood.

"More like, old client." Sasuke stated. "First serious mission as genin, C-Rank. Ended up being A Rank at the end of mission." Sasuke smirked. "It is that mission that we met the Demon brothers along with Zabuza and Haku. We almost all died but that mission. It was the first taste of shinobi life."

"And?" Suigetsu prompted. He had always heard of the stories how Zabuza fell to genin squad from the Leaf. He also found out when they retrieved the sword that Sasuke had been part of that genin team. Of course, the Uchiha was mum on the details.

"We won. Restored order. Came home." Suigetsu gave a pointed look, which Sasuke ignored. "Anyways, I really want to know the idiot said to him. Disagreement my ass."

Suigetsu chuckled. "I will admit though it fit well into the cover. Hinata covered up well."

"Hn." Sasuke answered as he moved a beam to a table horse. "Whatever. Grab that saw. Might as do something." Suigetsu rolled his eyes. He knew the Uchiha thought this was underneath him. Heck he even thought it was underneath him.

"And just when I thought we could laze about." Suigetsu muttered before grabbing the saw and start helping the Uchiha out.

… …

Naruto was awakened by an insistent knocking on his apartment door. Muttering under his breath about people and not letting him sleep, Naruto opened the door. He was very shocked to find Konan on the other side of it looking exhausted. The blue haired kunoichi's face brightened at his opening of the door.

"Thank Kami you're here!" She stated. Naruto's eyes grew larger. "I need to tell you something of vital importance! And you are the only one that will hear me out without killing me on sight." Naruto nodded and gestured the woman in. Konan sunk into a chair and Naruto grabbed some water and placed it in front of Konan before taking the opposing chair. She drank it greedily before setting in back down.

"Konan… What is so important that it would require you to come here and risk your life?" The blonde questioned.

"He's gone!" Konan stated simply and Naruto just blinked.

"Yes. I know Konan. I was there." The blonde was confused why the normally emotionally stable kunoichi was freaking out. She seemed perfectly fine and accepting when Nagato passed. Was she experiencing…

"No! Nagato's body is gone! No longer in the grave I made for him and Yahiko. Yahiko was not disturbed but Nagato's body was gone. The only reason someone would steal his body completely and not just grab his eyes, which I did seal, is to use him in…" Konan's balled up into fists and she spit venomously. "That _bastard's_ jutsu."

"Konan. There are several people I call bastards. You will have to say his name." Naruto stated plainly as he relaxed into his chair.

Konan's eyes became hard. "Orochimaru's. It was a jutsu that revived the dead."

Naruto stood straight up and dashed into his room where he quickly dressed himself then returned to Konan. "We are going to see Granny _now._ Kabuto must have gained more of his power or Orochimaru has taken over more of him."

Naruto grabbed Konan's hand and pulled her up and out the door before she could say anything else about the subject.

'_Granny? Is that what he calls the Hokage?' _Konan thought incredulously as she was pulled along by the young man in front of her. They passed many buildings that were both completed and incomplete and Konan mentally winced at the destruction about but was surprised at the progress of the rebuilding effort. She continued to be dragged along by Naruto, speeding by several people who called out in greeting and also shouts to slow down.

Naruto flung the door to Hokage tower open and dashed up the stairs, tossing a reason why he was racing up the stairs like a mad man to the woman at the front desk, not even hearing the woman's reply. When the blonde came to the Hokage's door, the duo finally stopped. Naruto knocked and then open the door.

The chair and desk stood empty.

"Argh! Where is she? Of course the only time… Just built… still recovering." Naruto mumbled under his breath and threw his hands up in the air. Konan shook her head at the blonde.

"We can wait outside for her. I am sure she has other duties." The blonde started out of his musings and nodded. "I will perform a henge so I won't alarm anyone."

"Naw. You're fine. Only a few people saw you and since few people come up here there is no need." Konan shrugged and gestured towards the door. Naruto sighed. "I hope she gets back soon…"

_So do I Naruto. So do I._

… … …

_::waves:: Hi everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying the Holidays! I finished the 21 hour semester strong and had A's with one B+ in there. Hopefully I will be able to write more next semester with less hours. _

_Thank you for the reviews, alerts, and favs! They make me so happy! They also remind me that I need to make time to write. :] Love you all._

_Read and Review if you have the time! Thank you!  
Dis: Naruto belongs to the Kishi. Not I._


	12. Chapter 12

Tsunade stretched her arms lightly as she prepared to use a small transportation jutsu. She checked briefly around to see if Shizune was in eyeshot. Her apprentice did not like her 'exerting' herself so soon after her recovery. The female Hokage snorted and then quickly made the appropriate hand sign. She heard an exclamation of surprise and looked over to see Naruto and …Konan? Tsunade instantly pulled out a hidden kunai and threw it at the young woman while grabbing Naruto.

"GRANNY! Stop! It's fine! She's on our side." Naruto tried prying off Tsunade's death grip on his arm and the blonde female looked startled at him. The blue haired young woman removed the kunai from the wall behind her and appropriately held it out to an increasingly confused Hokage.

"My office. Now." Tsunade instructed tugging along Naruto and grabbing the kunai from Konan in the same movement. Konan looked bemused at Naruto who was informing her he couldn't feel his arm and scolding her for not being in her office and doing too much too soon after her ordeal. Tsunade all but flung him into a chair in front of her desk with a look while gesturing to the other chair to the foreign kunoichi as she sat behind her desk.

Konan gracefully sat in the chair and folded her hands in her lap as she turned to look at Naruto expectantly, who gave a slight smile and turned to Tsunade. "She has important information for us, well for you." Naruto corrected. Tsunade's eyebrows rose and then turned her gaze to the young woman who returned her gaze.

"Nagato's body is gone. The only reason why his body would just be gone would be for_ his_ jutsu." Konan spit it out and Tsunade stilled as she realized whom Konan was taking about. "He perfected it when he left the organization but we did not think he would…"

"So he was telling me the truth." Tsunade whispered as she stood abruptly and gazed out on the village. "The fucking bastard was telling the _truth._ DAMN IT ALL THE HELL!" She slammed her fist into her desk, splintering it. "I didn't think… I should have KNOWN." The blonde Hokage was ranting now as Naruto's and Konan looked startled at the outburst. "Of course he perfected it. Why wouldn't he? The bastard did everything else that was forbidden why not bring the dead back to life?" Tsunade threw her hands in the air as she finished.

"He offered, back then to bring them back." Naruto stated. "As long as you brought two people to sacrifice and healed his arms." Tsunade looked up pained. Konan's eyes enlarged as Naruto turned to her. "Do you know how to stop it?" Konan shrugged.

"No. But the Uchiha may, but last mission we sent them on, I never heard back from them, I assumed the eight-tails killed them."

"We have Teme and his team in our custody. We caught him at the Summit." Naruto stated as his eyes gleamed a bit.

"Hmm." Konan mused. "Will he give us the information willingly?"

"He will or I will carry out my threat." Tsunade stated seriously and looked out towards the window again. "You two will visit later tonight after the sun has gone down. Hinata will still be on duty, so you will have back up." Naruto nodded while Konan solemnly looked on. "Now. Konan." The blue haired woman looked at the Hokage. "You will tell me how you located Naruto so quickly and if anyone else can do it."

"My paper flowers, so no." Konan answered plainly and it was Naruto's turn to look startled as she revealed the next part. "They say you take good care of them."

"What? They can talk to you?" Konan chuckled as Tsunade hid a smile at the two former enemies started up their own conversation and made a note to inform ANBU of the guest in the village that should be tailed, but left alone.

…

Karin never realized how much she enjoyed treating children. They were so trusting in the way you patched up their wounds or bruises, unlike older shinobi who would insist that they didn't need help or that you were doing it wrong. Sakura was watching her like a hawk as she finished up healing her fifth cut knee. The little girl smiled brightly at Karin as she helped the girl down and handed her a piece of candy. "Now remember next time to dodge!" She cheerfully informed her and the little girl giggled. The little girl had accidently dropped her kunai on herself.

"I will!" Was the response with a wave and the girl dashed off and Karin wore a little silly smile on her face.

"You are good with them." Sakura commented as she cleaned up the station. Karin looked surprised at the comment.

"I enjoy treating them. It's so simple to make them feel better." The red head answered truthfully as she pulled out her ponytail and shook her hair back into place. Sakura smiled.

"I know what you mean. It's not life or death but making them realize that what they think is terrifying really isn't makes me feel better."

"It helps that everyone's chakra here is warm and bright too." Sakura raised an eyebrow in question. "Konoha is in Fire Country so I guess I should have expected it, but it always surprises me to meet warm chakra after being used to cold, wet feeling chakra. Sasuke has the warm chakra but it is cold fire- lighting. You however, have a nice warm feeling."

"You can sense with the bracelets on?" Sakura asked a bit startled.

"Well it's muddled. The only reason why I know is because you are close and you have brushed past me and I felt it." Karin responded truthfully. "If I work hard I can find Suigetsu because his chakra repulses me or the others because I know their chakra signature well."

"His chakra repulses you?" Sakura had never had that problem with chakra.

"He has extremely-" Karin made a face. "Wet chakra. Makes sense with his abilities but still if I don't brace myself for it after I haven't been around for a day or so it makes me ill."

"Huh. Who would have known. Do you have that reaction to Hinata?" Sakura asked off handedly as she checked the gauze drawer to make sure there was enough.

"No? Should I?" Karin asked as she refilled the cotton ball jar.

"Hinata has water element chakra. She may have that wet feeling." Karin made a face and thought back to the day the Hyuuga captured them and thought about last night when the young woman helped her calm Jugo.

"I honestly don't remember. If she does, it's warm water because she's from Fire Country. Which brings me to my first statement, everyone here has warm chakra in degrees. It's comforting." Sakura shook her head ruefully as she opened the examination room.

"I wish at times I could detect chakra that well." Karin took that as a que to exit the room as she wrinkled her nose.

"Well, being ultra sensitive has it downfalls as well." She commented back as they head back to the nurse's station. Sakura didn't comment as they arrived at the station and grabbed the next clipboard and flipped the sheet and her eyebrow rose at the paper.

"You have got to be kidding me." Sakura muttered as she flipped the sheets back and forth.

"What's wrong?" Karin asked as she looked over the medic-nin shoulder.

"Stupid man. Always has to delay getting care until he faints…" Muttered Sakura as she handed over the clipboard and began a determined march down the hospital's halls.

Karin didn't bother looking at the clipboard for the name because she did not wish to lose Sakura in maze of halls. She saw her caretaker all but pull the door off its hinges and march into room that the door led too then heard Sakura speak.

"I have told you a thousand times to come straight here after a mission. But no! You think you are indestructible. So you go out on another one and so soon after what happened during the invasion!" Karin walked into see Sakura healing a mask wearing shinobi, still muttering under her breath while the silver haired man scratched his head and chuckled.

"I didn't think it was that bad." He responded. "It wasn't that hard of a fight. Plus I knew I had an old student who would heal me up." Sakura cast a look at the man, who Karin would assume to be an old teacher. Sakura jerked her head towards Karin.

"Karin, if you would be so kind to grab me some bandages." The red head nodded and placed the clipboard on table and opened the drawer and grabbed them and quickly handed them over to Sakura. Sakura nodded her thanks and quickly wrapped the torso of the man who was casting an odd look in Karin's direction, who was looking over the charts on the clipboard.

"Sakura, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" A wicked grinned spread on Sakura's face in response to the man's question and shared a look with Karin, who was holding in her surprise at finding out that the man Sakura was bandaging up as _The_ Kakashi Hatake.

"No." Sakura simply said. "You know her name when I addressed her and she knows your name from the clipboard. No need." Sakura backed away and kept her smile on her face. "You are good to go. You know to come back if anything goes wrong." Kakashi was looking a little surprised at his former student as she waved goodbye and her new assistant, who he knew for a fact was a team member of Sasuke's.

_What is going on here?_ Kakashi thought before transporting himself to Hokage Tower.

…

The day had gone by with relative ease. Sasuke and Suigetsu had done with their job with Tazuna and had the structure of the building secure. Hinata secretly smiled. Tsunade wanted the two shinobi that had the most strength to be exhausted by the days end so they wouldn't raise much fuss at night. Sakura had nothing to report about Karin. Apparently the two got along as long as there wasn't a question of whom Sasuke belonged too.

Of course there was the matter of Sakura now dating Naruto and so maybe Karin did not feel the pink haired girl was a threat.

Jugo had been escorted to the hospital by someone who worked in the aviary. They said he was a great help and nothing happened. Hinata had thanked Sakura and the aviary attendant and then taken her group through back streets to reach their home.

Karin had started up on cooking something for them using the rations allotted to them. Hinata meditated on the floor of the house, relaxing and working on her chakra control. She then felt a presence near her and Hinata opened one her eyes.

"Hello Suigetsu. How may I help you?" The lanky shinobi smirked and joined her on the floor.

"I was just wondering what ya were doin' Hyuuga." Hinata opened her other eye and quickly check that everyone was where they were a couple minutes ago. Karin was still in the kitchen and Sasuke and Jugo occupied the chairs in the living room.

"Meditating." She responded and she rolled her shoulders. Suigetsu leaned on his knee.

"Did you do this while you watched us work?"

"Yes I did." She answered simply. "This way I can tell if there is a chakra spike from either of you."

"Well that's nice to know, but did you close your eyes?" Suigetsu asked with his smirk firmly in place."

"No. I didn't."

"Couldn't take your eyes away from us could ya?"

"Well no. I'm your guard. I'm supposed to." Hinata answered while Suigetsu fought falling backwards at the young woman's obliviousness. Karin chuckled from her position in the kitchen finishing up supper while Sasuke cast an odd look Suigetsu's way over the top of the couch.

"Suppers done." Karin stated as she held a plate for herself in her hand and leaned against the doorway. The three males moved to the kitchen and Karin took Suigetsu's place in front on Hinata who gave her a slight smile.

The animosity between the two had disappeared and Karin popped some food into her mouth. Hinata reclosed her eyes and focused on her chakra again. Karin's eyes enlarged as Hinata's chakra spiked. Karin quickly swallowed her food as she realized that the kunoichi did have a water element chakra but it was warm like other Konoha residents. It was like a hot spring.

"You have water based chakra!" Karin blurted out to Hinata who quickly and efficiently controlled her chakra back down. Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Jugo all had walked back into the living room by then and gave Karin an odd look.

"Why is this relevant Karin?" Sasuke asked with a sigh as he sat in his previous spot. Suigetsu gave Karin a glare at her for stealing his spot.

Karin sputtered for a moment. "She has water based chakra in Fire Country! It's a big deal." She cast a look at the Hyuuga who furrowed her brow. "But because she is from Fire Country, its feels like… well… A hot spring." Karin finished lamely. Hinata's brows rose.

"I can say that is one of the nicest things someone has said about my chakra." Hinata stated with a small smile.

"So wait- Hinata's water chakra is fine while mine repulses you Speckles?" Suigetsu asked.

"No. You just repulse me over all." Karin snapped back at the swordsman. Jugo chuckled at the comeback and Suigetsu cast a look at him before returning his gaze back to Karin.

"Please don't start again. You both should be-" Hinata began but then pulled a kunai from her pouch before darting to the door.

"Hyuuga, what are you doing?" Sasuke asked assuming the Hyuuga had finally gone off the deep end. She held a finger to her lips as she activated her Byakugan to see Naruto with a woman. She cracked the door open just as Naruto was going to knock and he brightened as he saw the young woman.

"Hinata! You gotta let us in. We have to talk to Sasuke, Tsunade's orders." Hinata assessed the situation and quickly ushered the two in the small house. She watched the blue haired woman.

"Dope! Why are you here with her?" Sasuke asked as he stood and cast a look at the woman. "You are supposed to be dead." The woman raised an eyebrow.

"So were you." She stated calmly by Naruto's side while Karin recognized Konan's chakra from earlier in the day. She stored info away and moved herself closer to her team members.

"Sasuke. You have to help us with something." Sasuke snorted and sat back down.

"Why should I?" Naruto walked up to his former teammate.

"Your former _sensei_ is up to something." Hinata's eyes darted to Konan but back to Naruto.

"He's dead." Sasuke stonily stated as he stood face to face with the blonde. "I stabbed him and left his body to rot." Naruto chuckled darkly.

"But what about Kabuto? Did you kill him? It's surprising what that bastard can come up with." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "We know for a fact he did something about his dead boss. And that snake bastard is now slowly taking over his mind and body." Naruto gestured to Hinata. "Hinata saw it herself and described it to us." Everyone directed their gazes to the young woman by the door. "Tell them Hinata."

"Orochimaru's chakra was slowly consuming Kabuto." She stated solemnly. "About one third of his body was Orochimaru's already and Kabuto talked of the struggle but at the same time the joy of the struggle fighting against Orochimaru's presence." Hinata shivered.

"Well if you know so much why do you need my help?" Sasuke snarled.

"We need to know if you know how to make his resurrection jutsu fail." Konan spoke. "We believe he is going to use it in the coming months."

"You talk to the people." Karin spoke up. Konan directed her eyes to the red head. "You help them realize their purpose was fulfilled and that what they worked for succeed. Or you seal them. I know he was working how to rid them of their personalities when he was going to be killed."

"You talk to them?" Konan said in disbelief.

"The soul is there, it reacts to being revived. Some are displeased, others are okay with it as long as they are alive somehow. Orochimaru didn't like the fact they realized their pasts so that's why he was working on ridding them of their personalities." Karin shrugged. "For a while there was a lot of dead people walking around one of the compounds. Gave me chills. They have chakra but it's distorted."

"That helps out quite a bit. Thank you." Konan nodded then look at Naruto. "We should return to your Hokage and inform her." Naruto ended his staring contest with Sasuke and nodded at Konan.

"Thanks for letting us in Hinata." The blonde cheerfully told her and she nodded as he approached her. "Remember I will help you if Teme gets out of hand." He whispered. "See you around!" He exited the house with Konan and a weird silent tension entered the house.

"What. The. Hell Hyuuga!" Sasuke stated as he stormed up to the blue haired woman, who instantly was on her guard. "Did you know anything about that visit?" He gestured toward the door.

"No. I did not. And you should calm yourself before ANBU decides to visit." She stated quietly.

"Is that a threat Hyuuga?" Sasuke stepped closer to and Hinata performed a seal and the Uchiha flinched as the chakra bracelets sent a jolt through him.

"Yes it is." Hinata responded. "Go back to eating dinner."

"I will not. I want to ask you some questions." Sasuke angrily retorted.

"And those are?" Hinata asked impatiently.

"The obvious being why this wasn't mentioned earlier. Not even interrogation asked about Kabuto."

"There was no need to. We are aware of his presence. I'm sure the Hokage has someone trailing him. We just were unaware of his current plan." Hinata stated. "But what I know is from our mission from when we tried to get you back. That was obviously a failure."

"So we are just going to keep us out of the loop until then?"

"Yes. Why should ninja who are on probation and are our enemies be aware of our affairs? The only reason you are aware now because we needed information and technically it wasn't even you who had the information. It was Karin." Hinata retorted her angry boiling up as it did around the Uchiha's attitude. She clenched her fists. "This episode does not change the fact you and your team are on probation and considered a rogue ninja by other villages. It will take a year to possibly more for you to be accepted again here. If the village learns you were part of Akatsuki, they probably won't ever accept or forgive." She harshly informed him. "We were given orders to execute you by Danzo, when he was appointed Hokage. We didn't because Naruto informed us he would deal with you-"

"But you found us instead." Sasuke interrupted stepping right next to her and Hinata defiantly looked up at him.

"Yes I did and captured you, saving you from death." She retorted. Sasuke glowered down at the young woman who returned his look with a small smile. Sasuke's chakra flared. "You may want to calm yourself Sasuke Uchiha. I don't think you would like to lose complete connection to your chakra." Hinata informed him and the chakra died down at the threat, but not completely.

"This conversation will be continued at another time Hinata Hyuuga." Sasuke hissed in her ear.

"I will welcome it Sasuke Uchiha." His eyes narrowed and walked away from her.

Hinata noticed the looks she was getting from the others in the room. It was an odd mix of admiration and tension. She sighed and returned to her spot on the floor as nothing had just interrupted what looked like to be a calm evening.

…

An unholy alliance between Konoha's enemies was being formed by two of its former occupants, both with the same goal in mind.

The complete destruction of Konoha and with it conquering the shinobi world.

….

_::peeks out to the world:: Hi everyone! I am so sorry this has taken longer than usual. College this semester was harder than I originally thought it was going to be, along with just life. Hopefully more updates this summer! _

_Thank you all for the reviews, alerts, and favs! They make me so happy! And thank you to my faithful reviewers. You know who you are. ::hugs::_

_Read and Review if you have the time! Thank you! :]_

_Dis: Naruto belongs to the Kishi. Not I._

_PS: Check out my other stuff at your own peril! :]_


	13. Chapter 13

Konoha was repairing itself through the combined efforts of the new shinobi alliance between the nations. The Hidden Leaf Village was beginning to resume its former glory. The Hokage stood at her window at night and gazed out at the dark forest surrounding them. She never though they were going to be able to get out of the hole Pein had made of the village but with the combined effort of several shinobi (and a few of Naruto's clones) they had been able to use an earth jutsu that raised the village back to its former spot.

Tsunade again glanced at her desk where a pile of intelligence laid. They talked of missing bodies and of a character going around graveyard and old battlefields. They also informed her that it would be advantageous to the villages and to Naruto's health for him to go train with the found KillerBee on an island isolated in Lighting country that would be safe on all accounts. Naruto would be able to learn how to communicate with the Fox better and reign in his power better. She was wary about it but felt it would show her trust to Lighting Country in spite of their pasts. Tsunade chuckled a little bit. _Naruto's mother was taken there against her will and now her son will go train with Raikage's brother. Oh fate…_ She mused darkly before deciding to inform Naruto that he would be going on that mission to train.

And that he would have a certain kunoichi there to guard him. Tsunade popped her fingers.

_Let's see if Konan can be trusted. And she certainly knows how to handle herself and she seems intent on protecting Naruto._ Tsunade shook her head. The young woman was intent on protecting the blonde and had stayed by his side the past weeks in the shadows as he went about his days. She had even sparred with him. Tsunade knew her apprentice was jealous a little at first the amount of time the older woman was spending with her boyfriend but after Sakura saw how the two interacted the pink haired medic relaxed. Konan treated Naruto as a sibling and tried to let her new 'brother' have time for his girlfriend. Tsunade was almost disappointed in the lack of drama but figured it was in the best interest of the village that the two Kunoichi didn't exchange blows.

Sighing, she sat down and stared at in the newest information on her desk dealing with her former teammates apprentice and team. They all had settled into their punishments and duties. Except for a couple of heated exchanges between Hinata and Sasuke and the apparent bickering between Karin and Suigetsu, ANBU had nothing of significance to report. Sakura and Karin made an interesting team in the hospital hallways. The two held respect for the other and Karin apparently liked treating children that were treated. Tsunade made a note for Karin to be allowed a little more chakra to make her more effective when treating more than bumps and bruises. Jugo performed his duties to the 'T' and except for the first night out of ANBU custody where his chakra had flared dangerously, the giant seemed to have no problem controlling his curse. Tsunade wondered if it was because he was relaxed and felt safe in this environment and therefore wasn't on the edge. She also wondered if it was because of the change in chakra bracelets that they had given him.

The next piece of paper was from Tazuna about Suigetsu and Sasuke. The two worked hard and had given the old man and his grandchild no trouble as they build various businesses. Tazuna also commented on the pretty young woman who always asked if there was any way she could help them every day and that she frequently appeared before something fell or provided the appropriate tool. _Leave it to Hinata to make something of her guard duty._ She thought as pondered over the information dealing with Sasuke and his team. They needed to have a check up by her and Sakura so make sure the chakra bracelets were doing their jobs and to see if they could look more into Jugo's seal. It had only been a month since the four had been here but Tsunade toyed with the idea of allow the four a tiny bit of more chakra. She also thought about Hinata who had guarded the shinobi all this time without a complaint. The young woman deserved day off and since she need to talk with Hinata anyway she would inform her of her day off and that a suitable replacement would be found, which mostly likely would be either Neji or Hanabi since the Gentle Fist technique was very effective in neutralizing a threat. Tsunade quickly wrote the summons to the Hyuuga as she cast a glance at the clock figuring the ANBU could deliver the summons to the young woman when they relieved her of her duty tonight. She wrote out the summons to Hanabi because she realized that Neji was currently out of the village on a mission. Her hands flashed with seals to transport the summons to the correct individuals and then organized the chaos which was her desk in preparation of the arrival of the Hyuuga sisters.

.*.*.

Hinata fought the panic that was rising in her as she stood blank faced next to her younger sibling in the Hokage's office. Had she messed up? Did the ANBU believe she was not performing her duty correctly? Was there a complaint? Or worse, had her father or the council state they wished to have a 'true' Hyuuga guard the captives and not a cast off that was deemed unworthy by her father.

Hanabi seemed puzzled as well when she first entered the room with her sister in it after receiving the late night summons. The two sisters exchanged brief pleasantries then focused their attention on the Hokage who smiled warmly at the two sisters.  
"Ladies I will make this brief," Tsunade started off as she made a steeple with her fingers. The sisters nodded. "Hinata, I am giving you a day off tomorrow. You have performed excellently and things have gone smoothly. You may do what you wish with it. You will return to your duties the day after that."

"Yes Lady Tsunade," Hinata murmured as she felt the tightness in her chest ease a bit and masked the surprise that she felt also.

"Hanabi, you will take up your sister's place for the day. The details of your duties are in this scroll. Burn it after you have memorized it." Hanabi accepted the scroll from the Hokage. "They should treat you with respect and follow your orders just as they follow Hinata's. If they give you too much trouble ANBU is in the shadows ready to back you up. This is duty is only for tomorrow and possibly you will provide back up for your sister in later months if needed, otherwise you are to return to your regular schedule after tomorrow. Do both you understand what I am telling you?" Both sisters responded that they did. "Good, you both are dismissed."  
Hanabi and Hinata bowed in respect and turned and left the Hokage's office. Two walked silently together back their newly build home. Hinata's worries began again.

_What if Lady Tsunade thinks that Hanabi is better suited to my duty after tomorrow? What if she believes that I need assistance? What am I going to do with my free day? All I will do is worry about whether or not Hanabi is alright and if Karin and Suigetsu are attempting to get along or kill each other. If Jugo is going to have one his fits and if Sasuke would decide today was the day to escape and kill Danzo. What if Karin sets her mind to seducing Sasuke? _Hinata had the memory of Suigetsu's surprise peck on the cheek in Iron Country. _Kami, I hope Suigetsu doesn't try anything on Hanabi, she might actually gut him!_

Hinata cast a quick look over at her younger sister who didn't appear to have any worries and apparently no questions either about the four she guarded. Hinata fought the pang that went through her. Her sister didn't wish to know how she dealt with the four and if there was anything special she should know? Hinata pondered if she should tell her sister about Karin and Suigetsu's little spats, which she was beginning to wonder if it was an act and it was their way of expressing their repressed feelings for each other or that Suigetsu flirted with everything on two legs and a pair of boobs and was slightly blood thirsty? The fact that _she _knew the rhythm of the four by now and responded to certain things by second nature or the fact that they included her in meals after a month and she had an odd bond with each member of the group. Hinata felt an odd sense of possession towards the four. They were her duty and she had taken them down herself through an enormous amount of luck and stealth in Iron Country. She knew that they weren't friends per say, but once their probation wore off she hoped that they could be and even then it was long shot.  
But there was always hope.

.*.*.

Karin did not recognize the chakra signature that arrived in the house. While it was warm like she now expected of the shinobi in Konoha, it held a tinge of familiarity but at the same time it was a foreign chakra. She did not like it. Karin put on her glasses and walked in her sleeping clothes to fake going to the kitchen to see who had invaded their new home and why Hinata hadn't arrived yet. She purposely stepped louder than usual to alert the person she was up and wasn't attacked as she descended the steps.

A young female was sitting on the futon in the living room. Her brown hair that was pulled behind in a low ponytail and her headband around her arm and her eyes were currently closed as if sleeping. Karin walked purposely over to the young woman.

"Hey. Who are you?" Karin asked brashly. She did not appreciate new chakra popping up and waking her up before she had too. The young woman's eyes lazily opened and Karin fought the urge to hiss at the arrogance and superiority behind those eyes that spoke her family relation to Hinata.

"I am your guard for today," was the plain answer and the eyes shut again. Karin fought the urge to slap the girl combined with the effects of girl's chakra. Hinata's was soothing. Hers was just _grating_.

_I really should ask Sakura if I could somehow see the mixture of all the different types of chakra combined with Konoha shinobi so I know which ones make me want to pound my head into a wall. I should also look into how personality plays into it._ She thought as a she formed her next question.

"What happened to Hinata? Is she alright?" Karin inquired as she clenched her fists at the thought of their guard begin injured or hurt. _How odd._ She thought as the eyes opened again lazily.

"She requires rest. She will be back tomorrow." The eyes shut again.

_Good. I can only take your chakra that long._ "Hm," Karin responded as she left the young Hyuuga to grab a glass of water and returned to head up the stairs only to pause. "You may want to be more forth coming later when the rest of the house wakes up Hyuuga. We are rather fond of our other guard, don't make her condition sound iffy. I can only hope you don't mess up." Karin made the last statement as ambiguous as possible. The white eyes of the girl flashed as she caught the meaning of the last words. "See you in an hour."

….

"Who the fuck are you? Where's Hinata?" Suigetsu asked the girl sitting on the futon. The brown haired girl just returned his angry stare evenly with her cool white eyes. Jugo and Sasuke appeared a couple seconds later and bristled at the new comer.

"Suigetsu, who is our new guard?" Sasuke asked coolly as he narrowed his eyes at the young girl.

"She won't tell me," Suigetsu snarled. "But she's obviously a Hyuuga with those eyes and without a brand on her forehead, she's a main branch member."

"Hanabi," Sasuke stated as he placed the girl and saw the girl react to the name he spoke. "You are Hinata's little sister."

"You actually remembered Uchiha," Hanabi sneered lightly. "Or it was a well placed guess?"

"I remember a noisy baby that diverted attention from us," Sasuke replied acidly as he lean forward into Hanabi's personal space. "I also remember you brought about your mother's death." He whispered quietly into her ear as her eyes briefly widened with rage and grief before a slap was delivered to the Uchiha's cheek.

"You have no right to talk about my mother, Traitor," she answered hotly as Suigetsu and Jugo were surprised at the calm that befell the Uchiha.

"I suppose I don't." He answered dangerously low. "But you will never slap me again like that Hyuuga. You are lucky you still possess that hand." He turned away from Hanabi and headed to the kitchen where Karin had breakfast laid out.

The young woman's eyes took on an icy calm as she cast a look toward the two males who stood nearby.

"He is right," Jugo rumbled as he went to join Sasuke. "You are lucky to still have that hand. Let alone be functioning." Hanabi's gaze narrowed before resuming her state of meditation.

Suigetsu stayed where he was an analyzed the young woman who Sasuke said to be Hinata's sister. He could see the obvious family relation in her face and eyes, but there it stopped. Hinata didn't have the cold superiority that this girl excluded. Hanabi acted like she was above them and this was a waste of her time.

_Which she probably thinks,_ Suigetsu thought. "So why wasn't Hinata able to come today?" He asked with concern. He did honestly like Hinata. The girl had spunk along with a gentle streak that puzzled the hell out of him.

"Why do you care?" Hanabi replied with her eyes closed. "All she is a guard."

Suigetsu snorted and replied flippantly, "Well, she's our guard. We're kinda possessive here of things that we believe to be ours."

The young woman was instantly on her feet and held a kunai to his throat. "What do you mean 'ours'? A Hyuuga does not belong to anyone but his or her clan." Hanabi's tone turned mocking. "Do you think that Hinata cares for you or your team members? She's your guard and therefore it is her duty to watch over you. Don't get any ideas." Suigetsu looked at the kunai at his throat and then at girl that claimed to be Hinata's sister then back the kunai.

He laughed. It started as a chuckle then escalated to full blown hysterical laughter as he pushed the kunai away and stepped back. "You are pathetic. You apparently don't know your sister. Your sister is one of the most caring people in this village. How sad your life must be that you don't even know your sister." White eyes burned as Suigetsu leaned forward and whispered, "You don't even know _us_ but I will let you in on a secret, We. Don't. Like. You. The only reason we will go about our day is because we don't wish to be killed on the spot for disobeying by the ANBU that are around this place and the fact that you are only here for a little bit." He smiled his crazed smile at her, the one he wore while surrounded with those he just killed as he lowered his voice again. "And if you threaten _me_ again you better hope that your first hit kills me."

And with that he joined his teammates in the kitchen who gave their nods of approval as he sat down and ate the breakfast Karin had prepared.

As he ate, Suigetsu wondered if he had gone a bit too far with the last bit. He supposed they didn't need Hinata angry at them for pushing her baby sister's buttons. Then again, it seemed like the two weren't close so maybe their angry tirades wouldn't be related to her. He kinda felt sorry for Hanabi. She didn't know her sister in the slightest and obviously didn't ask her how to handle them because Hinata would told Hanabi the facts about them.  
Suigetsu smirked around his breakfast as he looked at the Uchiha who was glowering at his toast with Hanabi's handprint fading fast. He knew for a fact that Sasuke was intrigued by Hinata and that possibly that was the only reason Hanabi wasn't sporting a broken arm because he knew he wouldn't be on Hinata's good side if he had.

_Poor Hinata, she unknowingly has the Sasuke sizing her up to be his bride, _he mused to himself. He had figured at the start that Sasuke had an interest in the girl but it had become more apparent the more he had flirted with the girl.  
Not that Hinata noticed or replied in such a way made him think she didn't have a perverted bone in her body. Or she was just plain unaware that men found her attractive. Suigetsu sighed as he took his dish to the sink and returned to the table.

"So do we make her life a living hell?" He asked in which he received three looks that ranged from no to yes, with Karin being the yes. "Oh Speckles! Don't be so hard on her."

Karin grinded her teeth, "Her chakra makes me want to punch her. Hard." This raised the eyebrows of the shinobi at the table. "I can tell she's related but otherwise, Hanabi's chakra does not have the comfortable presence Hinata's does."

"Really? That's quite unfortunate." Jugo replied idly as he glanced at the clock above the doorway. "We need to go to our appointed jobs before we have an extremely irate Hyuuga on our hands."

"I don't understand why we got her instead of Neji. At least he's met us." Suigetsu complained as he waited on the other three.

"Once and you are lucky your heart is still beating after what you pulled," Karin shot back at Suigetsu who shrugged with a grin.

"I don't regret it. You just concentrate on not punching our new guard."

"I won't guarantee anything." Karin mumbled as Suigetsu fought the urge to look surprised how easily Karin went with his semi-joke. "Just make sure _he_ doesn't do anything rash like 'accidently' dropping a beam on her head."

"She has 360 degree vision my dear Speckles. I doubt we can get anything past her." Suigetsu slung an arm over her shoulders. Karin didn't even shrug it off. "Hell maybe we should keep her around if she negates your normal reaction to my chakra." He muttered and Karin shivered as the Hyuuga passed them to lead the way.

"No, I am used to yours. Hers is just so new and ugh!" Karin threw up her hands. "I really hope I get to drown myself in work today."

"I'm with ya there," Suigetsu responded back as he watched Jugo and Sasuke converse. "What do you think they talk about?" He motioned to the other two.

"How to kill you," Karin responded and Suigetsu made an indignant noise. "Though maybe how to kill her now." Suigetsu chuckled darkly.

"I'd do it for them. Just get me my sword and it's done," He whispered conspiratorially.

"Yes and then have Hinata angry at us plus the fact after you do it we would be killed by ANBU? I doubt it. I can put up with Hanabi's chakra and attitude as long she doesn't bother me."

"You and me both," Suigetsu muttered as Karin and Jugo were dropped off at their appropriate stops and they headed to where Sasuke and Suigetsu were needed for the day.

….

Hinata repeatedly hit the log in front of her drowning out the world around her. She keep a strange rhythmic beat on the log was she changed the set of hits she was practicing as she let her emotions follow freely.

She was upset.  
_Why?_ A Shino sounding voice asked in her head as she spun and hit the log up high with a kick and a swift gentle fist hit.  
_I don't know._ She responded as she picked up her pace slightly.

_Okay, what else do you feel?_

_Anger._

_Why?_

_Because I feel like I have been doubted._

_Why?_

_Because I have been given a break when I don't need one! I feel like this a plot._

_Why?_

_Because I'm paranoid that the one mission that I feel like I have ever done right is being taken away!_

The log chipped as she accented her anger as she explained to the phantom Shino. She took a deep breath before restarting again with less anger.

_I also feel… Anxious. _She continued to the imaginary Shino.

_Why?_

_For Hanabi and how they will react._

_Why? Your sister is a Hyuuga and able to handle herself._

_That's it. She won't know how to handle herself around those four and they all will get into a fight._

_Why do you care about them getting into a fight? You are just their guard and if they are gone you will be free of guard duty. They are just traitors to their villages anyway._

_No! They are misguided. They have been told a certain set of lies that they believe to be truths and we have to have faith that they will see that eventually. They were lured in by false promises and whispers of false power. _

_Why do you defend them Hinata? Do you actually care about them?_

_Yes! Yes I do because I feel like we are becoming…_ Hinata trailed off as she stopped and stared at the log in front of her let her arms fall useless to her sides.

_Are becoming what Hinata?_

"Friends," she exclaimed softly. "I feel like they understand what the Hokage has given them and in a couple years they will be able to become Konoha shinobi themselves. They all loath Orochimaru and know that all he promised was lies." She paused and looked up at the leaves above her. "But what do I know? I'm just the guard and what they have done in the past month is just a plan to lure me into a sense of ease so they can strike and take action against Konoha." She expressed bitterly.

_What does your gut tell you?_ The voice gently prodded.

_That I'm hungry. _She truthfully told the voice who she suspected was her conscience.

_Why?_

_Because its lunch time._

_So go have lunch. With your friends._ The voice slyly suggested as is faded away leaving a softly smiling Hinata who quickly returned to her home and changed and wrapped her hands before heading out to the business district where she knew two of her charges would be.

.*.*.

"Well hello there Hinata!" Tazuna exclaimed as he saw the dark haired girl walk up to their table. The other three present turned their heads to see the young woman blushing slightly as she waved her acknowledgement.

"Hi Tazuna. Hi Inari." The young boy blushed slightly as Hinata addressed him. He mumbled out a hello before returning to his lunch. Hinata's eyes went to the other two present. "Hello Sasuke and Suigetsu."

Suigetsu grinned in his appreciation of the Hyuuga's outfit and greeting. "Why hello to you too Hinata. We wondered why you didn't come this morning." Sasuke simply nodded as he also looked at the outfit Hinata was wearing.

"I'm sorry. I was given the day off and was told late last night so I couldn't give you any warning."

"Next time leave a note," Sasuke stated before he bit into his lunch. Hinata started for a moment before smiling.

"I will," she responded before asking. "May I sit with you and have lunch also?"

"Of course you may Hinata." Tazuna replied. "We'll be the most envied table here." Hinata made a small face of not understanding the last statement before thanking him and sitting down beside him opposite of Sasuke. She arranged her sun dress before sitting and grabbing lunch from the middle of the table.

"I find it funny that you were given the day off but still came to see us Hinata," Suigetsu stated as he eyed the Hyuuga. "Did you miss me?"

Hinata smiled, "I missed all of you actually. I was going stir crazy. I went a little too hard while training." She held up her bandaged hands. "The poor training log," she murmured.

"Are your hands okay?" Inari asked as he saw a slight red tint in a couple of places on the bandages.

"They're fine. I have had them much worse. Plus I added a cream to help them heal faster." Hinata replied cheerfully.

"But it looks like it hurts…" Inari stated as he watched her wiggle her hands to show that they were fine.

"I'll add a little healing chakra too for good measure tonight so they won't ache but I like to leave minor things like this to heal naturally."

"Hinata, what are you doing here?" A cool young voice asked.

"Eating. You want some Hanabi?" Hinata turned and offered a serving of food to Hanabi who was looking at her like she was nuts.

"No. Why are you here? It is your day off." Hanabi repeated and she placed a hand on her hip.

"Because it is my day off and I wished to eat with Tazuna and Inari. Sasuke and Suigetsu just happen to be nearby." Hinata replied before taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully. "You sure you don't want any?" Suigetsu and Sasuke exchanged looks of surprise at the exchange between the two sisters. _Are we missing something?_

"I'm sure. Hinata, the point of a day off is to see those who you don't see every day."

"Shino and Kiba are unavailable today for family reasons." Hinata replied. "I slept in." _Only 30 extra minutes and then panicked about being late before I realized that I had the day off._ "Then I trained and then I came here because I am hungry." _Also because I wanted to check on all of you._

Hanabi gave her sister a piercing look before shaking her head and transporting herself away to where she was before the exchange. Hinata sighed slightly at her sister before returning her attention to the males at the table.

"Just so you aware, we don't like your sister," Suigetsu stated plainly. "Sorry."

Hinata shrugged. "She takes awhile to get to know. She's not very open to strangers. She appears abrasive to others and she is in charge of you today."

"She seemed concerned about you," Inari stated and Hinata smiled at him.

"She was but what I chose to do with my free time is my own decision. Hanabi is just a bit over protective."

Sasuke and Suigetsu exchanged looks again at that comment while Tazuna and Inari laughed.

"You keep these two in line. I say you can look after yourself." Tazuna stated and Hinata continued to smile. Inari looked at time and tugged on his grandfather's arm to point out the time. "Well I would love to stay and chat Hinata, but we have to get back to building."

"Oh! I understand. You all stay safe."

"We will!" Inari exclaimed as he and his grandfather left to go dump their plates. Sasuke and Suigetsu hung back at the table with Hinata as she grabbed her things.

"Hinata," Sasuke quietly stated as Hinata finished. "You know didn't have to."

"But I wanted too. Plus I really was hungry."

"Oh Sasuke. Give the girl a break. She obviously just couldn't go without seeing me for a day." Suigetsu joked as Hinata shook her head ruefully at him.

"Oh Suigetsu… You guys need to go before Hanabi gives you grief." Suigetsu smirked before scooping up her hand and kissing it. Sasuke sighed and hit him upside the head.

"Behave yourself. You're in public." Sasuke muttered as he pushed Suigetsu towards the exit then he turned to Hinata. "We still need to have a talk."

"How about tomorrow night as long as you promise not to yell?" Hinata suggested smoothly. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"As long as you provide information and not make me want to strangle you," he shot back.

"I will provide what I am allowed. Until tomorrow then Sasuke." Hinata smiled and walked the opposite direction he would be going. Sasuke nodded in agreement as he went to the exit where Suigetsu and his 'employer' were waiting for him.

_Tomorrow should yield some results._

.*.*.

Hinata was back at attacking the post. Her hands only smarted a little as she continued to train as she had that morning. She was so absorbed that she didn't notice her two teammates approach and stand off to the side as they watched her attack the post.

Shino's bugs buzzed at the blood while Akamaru whined up at Kiba as he smelled it too. The boys sighed before both calmly walked up closer the focused Hyuuga before simultaneously clamping down on her arms to stop her attacks. Hinata was absolutely still as she realized that who had stopped her from starting her next attack sequence.

"You could have been killed," she stated tersely as the boys eased up on her arms and took a step back from the slightly annoyed Hyuuga.

"And you would have turned your hands into hamburger," Kiba growled back. "What good would that do you?"

"It helps me focus, the pain." She muttered as she tightened the reddening bandages on her hands.

Kiba snorted.

"Why do you need to focus Hinata? Is something going on?" Shino prompted as Hinata flinched.

"I need to remind myself they are not my friends. That I am just their guard. Their babysitter." She idly rubbed her arms. Kiba and Shino sighed.

"Hinata, you make friends with everyone. Including that idiot after he basically thought your confession was imagined." Kiba retorted.

"And while we are aware of those four statuses, wouldn't show that they have given up that past life by becoming friends with a Hyuuga?" Shino prompted again.

"It doesn't matter what I think. Hanabi has already made a good impression on them." They detected the sarcasm. "I am just worried that the ANBU and Lady Tsunade will decide Hanabi is the better choice and she will take over my current duty."

"I would assume the reason why they don't like her is because they know you. If anything, I bet they would protest against a new guard." Kiba plopped down on the ground in which the others followed.

Hinata smiled softly, "Suigetsu said as much at lunch." Both her teammates stared at her inquiringly. "I had lunch with them. He told me they didn't like Hanabi. I just told them she's over protective."

"Over protective my ass," Kiba responded. "She would kill them if it made your life easier."

Hinata laughed, "Then all the fan girls would kill her."

"Have you had any problem with those?"

"Nope, they don't know he's around," she stated mischievously to them.

"How so?" Shino asked.

"I take back roads and none of those girls go to the construction site. Plus, Sasuke Uchiha labor? Ha."

"Oh Kami you are becoming cynically. Who are we to blame for this?" Kiba asked.

"All of them really. It entertaining to listen to them argue and discuss with each other. You learn a lot about their pasts that way." She stated the last part quietly.

The boys exchanged looks again and Kiba decided to change the subject.

"So Hinata, did you where that dress to lunch because I am sure you had the guys whistling at you for wearing that. I would bet money Neji didn't see you leave the house in that."

"Yes I did. And why would they whistle? And why wouldn't Neji let me?" Hinata tilted her head.

"Nevermind," Kiba muttered as he put his arm behind his head. "What did they think of it?"

"They didn't say anything. They stared at me for a long time though. Tazuna said something about being the most envied table there. I don't know why he said that." Hinata expressed.

"Hinata, he was giving you a subtle complement," Shino answered. "And Sasuke and Suigetsu probably stared because they hadn't seen you in anything besides your shinobi gear."

"Oh! Well I guess I should thank Tazuna next time I see him." Hinata mumbled to herself when a pop echoed in their little area. Kiba and Shino jumped to their feet while Hinata reflexively activated her bloodline the deactivated it as quickly as she stood.

"Sakura?" Hinata asked as the pink haired woman stood there.

"Oh good! You're here. This is from Lady Tsunade," Sakura handed over a scroll she held to Hinata who blinked. "It is instructions for tomorrow when you return to guard duty." Sakura paused and nodded to Shino and Kiba to had returned to their spots on the ground before turning back to Hinata who idly looked at the scroll in her hands.

"Karin was not happy when she walked into work today," Sakura idly commented.

"Hanabi has that effect on people," Hinata stated glibly. Sakura snorted.

"She was fine once we started with patients but I felt like I needed to hit Hanabi upside the head for making Karin so irritable."

"You mean Speckles isn't that way all the time?" Kiba butted in.

"Oh! I have been meaning to tell you Kiba! Suigetsu uses that all the time when he addresses Karin nowadays." Hinata interjected as she informed her teammate.

"Ha! Knew the guy was smart," Kiba exclaimed before Sakura shook her head good naturedly.

"Anyways, your instructions are in there and I'll see you tomorrow Hinata. Bye." Sakura performed a jutsu and disappeared. Hinata quickly opened the scroll.

It described what she was to do tomorrow when the four were to have their medical check-ups and to have their chakra cuffs adjusted. It also explained that the four would be allowed more chakra for their jobs. Not a significant amount, but just enough so their reflexes would be improved. Hinata briefly wondered if she could convince the Hokage to allow the four combat practice at least once a week if not once a month. They were getting antsy and maybe if they were at least allowed to practice they would be more relaxed. Of course, practice weapons would be employed and not real weapons.

_At least, not for a long time,_ Hinata thought as she rolled the scroll back up. She flinched slightly at the pain that went through her hands. "Ow." She muttered as she moved her slightly stiff hands.

"Hinata, you need to get your rest. Kiba and I will leave you so you may go to bed." Shino stated as he stood smoothly and patted her shoulder.

"Yeah. Heal up good and don't go making enemies of any trees," Kiba added with Akamaru in agreement as he gave his female teammate a half hug.

"I will," Hinata stated softly as she returned the hug and smiled at them as they took off.

"Might as well go to bed, I do have an early morning," she stated quietly to herself. She felt a jolt of giddiness go through her as she realized she still had her mission.

_Tomorrow is going to be a good day._

.*.*.

The day at the hospital had gone without a hitch. Hinata was glad that everyone checked out and that Tsunade was giving them a tiny bit of trust by allowing them most chakra. Karin had seemed the most enthused about this. She claimed that she could sense chakra better now and that everyone wasn't so fuzzy. The boys seemed neutral but Hinata could see that they were quietly pleased as they were allowed that tiny bit of chakra into their systems.

Hinata sighed as she took her customary spot on the floor to meditate and relaxed.

"Hinata, really?" Karin commented as she noticed Hinata on the floor. "Will you at least sit on a pillow or something?"

"No. I am fine here," Hinata responded as Karin started to protest again.

"There is no way to convince her otherwise Karin," Sasuke stated as he looked over at the Hyuuga from his position on the couch. "You have tried how many times?"

"Too many," Jugo stated. "Hinata, we are aware of the odd situation you are in as our guard. I am sure no one would not look down on you for actually sitting in a chair."

"That's for sure. I'm sure that floor has to be uncomfortable." Suigetsu added.

Hinata sighed. "You aren't going to let up until I do sit in the chair, aren't you." All four nodded in their various ways. "Fine." Hinata stood and walked over to the chair that had been offered and that none of the residents occupied. "Better now?"

"Much." Suigetsu stated as he settled into his seat. "I have a better view." Sasuke flicked him. "Ow! What was that for?" Suigetsu asked as he rubbed his ear.

"For being obnoxious," Sasuke muttered.

"Why is it obnoxious Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked back to see if the Uchiha would admit that he found Hinata attractive.

"Because it is obvious that she doesn't realize you are flirting with her," Sasuke snapped back quietly as he watched Hinata settle into the chair to meditate.  
"And whose fault is that? Maybe eventually she'll catch on," Suigetsu suggested.

_And Naruto will give up ramen_, Sasuke thought to himself and forced himself not to think about if Hinata would respond to Suigetsu's flirting. _Why should I care?_

"Sasuke, you wished to talk about something?" Hinata asked as she continued to mediate.

"Several something's actually, including why you decided to take on the four of us without back up."

"Because I could," Hinata responded smoothly. Sasuke fought the urge to snort at the bland answer. "And because we were going to do something about you anyway, I left before anyone else to catch up with Naruto."

"But you captured us first," Suigetsu prodded. "Then you went and retrieved the blond. Not the other way around."

Hinata shrugged in her meditative state. "You were there and distracted. I covered my chakra and used your distraction as a way to surprise you."

The four exchanged glances. They had been distracted and Karin had been focused on finding Danzo for Sasuke.

"Hn. We'll give you that one." Sasuke stated and saw the slight smile from Hinata. "Now, what is the deal about my old sensei?" He saw her stiffen and open her eyes.

"Kabuto melded himself with Orochimaru's cells," she voice was flat and her eyes were dull. "Orochimaru was slowly taking over Kabuto and Kabuto thought it was..." Hinata trailed off and thought back to memory for a moment. "He had never felt so alive fighting off Orochimaru." Her face contorted in disgust and all semblance of her meditating dropped. "So Sasuke, what are you going to do about it? The man you killed has found a way to live."

"I will find him myself once I'm free and kill him." He coldly replied and Hinata returned his gaze.

"I know you will. The only problem is if you ever will be allowed to leave here again."

"Naruto will help convince them," Sasuke threw out causing Hinata to raise an eyebrow instead of showing her shock like Karin was. Suigetsu and Jugo were entranced by the conversation as the two threw words each other like kunai.

"So will Sakura most likely too," Hinata chimed back. "As will those who you interact with daily and the ANBU that watch you." Hinata's gaze soften slightly. "It will be a hard road but you will eventually earn back trust of those around you."

A silence enveloped the group as they all thought about Hinata's words as she sat back in the chair and gazed at the ceiling.

"Hinata, why did you let her have him?" Hinata did not show her internal dismay at the innocent question Karin asked. _She must have heard at work. _The other three males looked curiously at Karin for asking the question like that.

"Because she makes him happy. And all I ever will be is the strange quiet friend." She quietly replied to the red head who felt the sadness from their guard through her chakra. "Speaking of happy… I asked the Hokage if you would be allowed to do combat practice once a month on a day off." Hinata paused as she saw Suigetsu's eyes gleam a bit. "She said yes as long as you were not given real weapons."

"Yes!" Suigetsu shouted as Karin quirked a brow at the rather joyous reaction and muttered.

"Blood thirsty fish."

Jugo nodded and looked slightly pleased while Sasuke took on a determined look.

"Is that all for your questions tonight?" Hinata asked as she began to retake her mediation position.

"We need to turn in." Sasuke stated ignoring the question as he nodded to the others. They rose and tossed their good nights to each other at their guard. Sasuke walked silently over to his teams guard and stood in front of the meditating Hyuuga as they all disappeared into their respective rooms.

Sasuke took in the way she never fully relaxed as she mediated as well as her hair fell across her right shoulder in a dark wave. He was well aware of Suigetsu's flirting with their guard. Of course his teammate liked to flirt with all the women they encountered but none of those flirting bothered him. It bothered him though with Hinata. He wondered if the young women choose to ignore the advances of the other because she figured he was trying to pull something or if she was that ignorant of the fact she was appealing to the male species. Though, her team was one of the more reserved teams. All of them wore clothes that blended in well with their surroundings as they were a tracking unit.

But that still did not answer his actions around her. She infuriated him at times with her matter of fact comments but at the same time she was stable and someone that they-he could count on even though the petite woman was their guard. A small part of him realized that he found her attractive. The problem would be though to convince her of that and make her forget about the his old blond teammate before he would even begin to think about expanding thoughts about her in his future as something other than his guard.

"Yes Sasuke?" Hinata asked as it was every day the brooding Uchiha loomed in front of her like this. Sasuke stooped and put his face in front of hers. Her eyes flew open and she stared into his dark eyes.

"Are you aware Suigetsu flirts with you every day?" He enquired quietly with a raised eyebrow.

"No," she replied. "I wasn't aware. I just thought he was being silly." Sasuke chuckled darkly.

"You have to be one of the most innocent minded shinobi."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes and no. It may be beneficial to understand when someone is coming onto you. It may help you in future missions."

"Are you trying to propose something Sasuke?"

"A game." Her eyebrow rose. "You are to count the times that you are aware of someone flirting with you, with words and their body language."

"And you will know the true count because?" Hinata tilted her head back slightly from the Uchiha.

"I have nothing else to do with my time." He replied as he fought the urge to grin savagely as he noticed she was thinking about it. _Why am I so excited about this?_ He thought as she spoke.

"Why not? I should be more aware of the motives around me."

"Good, consider this training exercise." Hinata's eyebrows rose as Sasuke stood straight again and turned the other direction before turning back to her. "Next time you will leave a note when you are to be gone and tell your Hokage that your sister is not welcome back into this house. I don't care that we are just prisoners. I and the rest of my team can't stand her."

"I'll be sure to pass on the information," Hinata replied dryly. Sasuke nodded and turned to go to his room. "Good night Sasuke."

"Good night Hinata. Our game starts tomorrow."

.*.*.

Tsunade grinned at the report in her hands. She finally had _proof_. She could legal get rid of that bastard Danzo who caused so many headaches. She didn't care is he was once upon a time her sensei's friend. She didn't care that he had a couple friends in high places.

He had illegally implanted the Sharigan into his arm and eye. There were 5 pairs of eyes along with a lone eye that belonged to Shisui Uchiha in his eye. Orochimaru and Kabuto had seen to the implantation.  
He also thought he had gotten away with murdering one of the toad summons messengers during the attack. Naruto had quietly informed her of that in the last couple of weeks when the toads reported that the messenger had died with a sword wound. This was enough to send him to toads and have their way to deal with the old war hawk.

Tsunade felt a cruel smile creeping on her face as she toyed with a different idea. She could allow Sasuke into the small cell Danzo occupied for fifteen minutes and do whatever he pleased as long as he when he left the cell Danzo was still breathing.

Of course if Danzo expired a couple minutes after that, well Sasuke Uchiha is one scary young man. Danzo was old, his heart was failing anyway.

Tsunade wondered if she could get away with it, this would be only time she would allow anything like this to happen. She would gain at least a little of the Uchiha's thanks and possibly keep him in the village longer. She also reflected she was becoming a bit cynical the longer she held this position.

Tsunade dug out her hidden sake bottle and took a drink.

_Screw what anyone else thinks. I'm always for a little revenge._

* * *

_Hi everyone! You are all probably like, WHOA. Time skip! What are these shenanigans? Well. Enjoy it and the implications that I set up. And all that jazz. _

_Its kind a scary to think that I have been at this for two years now and that some of you have been with this story since then. Your support is most appreciated. My goal is to have this story done by this time next year because canon Naruto is all up in my business messing with what I want. Lol. Anyways, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Every alert, fave and review reminds me that at least one person wants to know where this goes. ::free cookies::  
PS: She What? is now part of the community Hinata Central. I want to thank who ever added my fic to the community! I always feel a little shocked when one of my fics have been added to a community._

_Dis: I don't own. Kishi does._

_Read and review?_


	14. Chapter 14

She sighed as she shifted in her perch. The tree she sat it gave an excellent view of her charges as well as the surrounding area. Hinata had been surprised when she discovered the tall tree in the middle of the devastated district but did not question it. Stranger things that trees surviving battles had happened in her life.

Hinata thought she was a fairly observant person. She could recognize the subtle tells of a person bluffing or lying. She would affirm if a person was telling the truth. Hinata knew when people were passionate about a subject or faking interest. She recognized the overtures of her fellow shinobi teams when they interacted.

She knew that Team 10's bickering was actually them checking on each other and making sure everything was running smoothly. Ino told Hinata of a mission that they acted like they didn't have a care and argued loudly within their target. Their quarry was surprised when he suddenly couldn't control his body. Ino had shuddered as she retold the story to Hinata and how dirty that man's mind had been. The young woman then had whispered to her friend of how he thought Ino was in a relationship with her two teammates. Hinata giggled quietly to herself as she remembered how they had busted out laughing at the thought of such things while at the same time Hinata filed it away. She became more aware after that of how she interacted with her team and made sure nothing in their manner implied such things.

Team 7's, antics were bright and dark at the same time. Sakura and Naruto had surrounded Sasuke's darkness and they had evened each other out. They were all seeking acceptance from each other, especially Naruto. Hinata winced as she thought about the old days and the awful things adults said knowing Naruto was in hearing distance. The team dimmed after the departure of Sasuke and somehow it became brighter when Sai became part of the team. The team became louder and animated as Naruto and Sakura dealt with Sai's odd habits and nicknames. Hinata sighed and looked over at her charges hammering away at a two by four and continued her train of thought.

Her cousin's team was constantly trying to find balance. Guy and Lee were a force unto themselves while Ten Ten and Neji kept them grounded. For the most part. Ten Ten was the calming force while her cousin helped stop the exuberance that flowed from their sensei and teammate. She also saw the interactions of Neji and Ten Ten. She knew they were together but they were never overt in their affection in public. It was always small touches.

Her own team was built on mentality of the hive and the pack. Strength in group and community. Both Shino and Kiba had respected their sensei along with treating Hinata both as a teammate and as a female at the same time. Shino understood the role of the Queen within the hive while Kiba had his mother and sister to show him female shinobi were nothing to scoff at. They worked on helping her with her struggles while at the same time improving themselves.

Now Team Hawk… They were a mismatched group that tied themselves together because of Sasuke. They looked out for each other while at the same time tossed insults at each other like they couldn't wait to kill each other. The insults seemed to die down lately. Hinata huffed quietly as she readjusted herself in her tree. _That could because they are exhausted after working all day._ But she saw way they cared about one another. They were afraid to show they were united. If they did that meant they cared then that implied they would actually go out on a limb for each other. No, Team Hawk wanted to present themselves as mercenaries so that nobody would try such maneuvers on them.

They all showed their affections for each other in odd ways and plain ones at that and Hinata thought she had understood all the ways someone could show interest or flirt.

The thing was however, Hinata, now knew after today that she had taken herself out of the equation. She didn't realize people were interested in her like that. She was sexless in her mind, all but to Naruto, and hadn't noticed that men watched her and showed their interest with their eyes.

She was torn between stabbing Sasuke with her kunai or thanking him. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, a gesture she was picking up from Neji, as she realized all of the comments that she had put out of her mind because she believed her teammates has viewed wrong or comments from her female friends. People had noticed she was a woman. She quietly mussed that it may have been because Sakura had to remove her outer jacket to heal her after her run in with Pein. She sighed again and checked on the two finishing up one of the buildings they had started.

She could blame it on her family. Hyuuga did not care if you were young, old, male or female. All that mattered was the clan and if one could contribute to it. She, until lately, had been accepted back into the fold after proving herself when she became a chunnin. But in all reality, she had herself to blame because she believed herself unworthy of such attention and now apparently she had it in spades.

Kami. She could see Sasuke's smirk now as she threw out a number tonight and the confused looks of the rest of the squad. Karin would catch on first then Jugo and Suigetsu would catch on together. _A mild explosion may happen,_ she mused. _I wonder if Suigetsu will keep up his flirting and if that counts towards the daily count. Suppose it does. _

Hinata sighed and shifted again and looked at her charges continue to hammer away at the structure going up. In one month they had completed one building and now were moving onto a second one. These were businesses and had to be sturdy. Tazuna wouldn't allow it any other way. Hinata squinted up at the sun. It was almost noon. They would break soon and eat lunch with the rest of the workers.

She picked a leaf and shredded it as she thought about joining them for lunch as always. _I wonder if the conversation will be different since I chose to come on my day off? Oh dear… They saw me in a dress._

…

Sasuke smirked as he took a bite out of his sandwich as he watched Hinata twitch every so often. Usually when a worker would look her way.

She was already noticing the attention she garnered. Of course, they saw her in a dress so they were trying to guess why she dressed the way she did and why she covered herself up. They were civilians for the most part so they didn't understand the function of the Hyuugas wear but then again she was wearing a long jacket in the beginning heat of summer. His brow furrowed. It wasn't even a light jacket. Didn't she have a light one? Or have a summer outfit? Surely as an heiress of a clan she would have something more breathable. He quietly grumbled into his sandwich as he realized he was worrying about things that shouldn't be any of his business. He shook his head as he noticed Hinata twitch more violently.

"Hyuuga." Her eyes zeroed on him. "Are you getting shocked or have you devolved a new tick?"

Hinata drew herself up and glared at him like he was the scum of the earth as he held back a smirk. "Neither. I just have noticed you guys have more people looking at the table than normal. I'm worried they'll actually recognize you or start rumors."

" Really? They're looking at us?" Suigetsu looked over Hinata's shoulder while Inari, who had been telling Suigetsu about the Land of Waves, twisted to look as well.

"I think they are looking at you Hinata," Tazuna stated as he ate his rice. Hinata turned pink while Suigetsu grinned at the Hyuuga Heiress.

"Got yourself some admirers from coming in here yesterday in a dress. Careful not to encourage them, I don't want to ruin my shot here in Konoha defending your honor."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and slapped his teammate upside the head. "She's our guard. If anything, ANBU will step in so she can make a get away with us." Suigetsu rubbed his head and shot a look at his attacker.

"But you were really pretty yesterday Hinata!" Inari piped up and blushed as his grandfather chuckled.

"Why thank you Inari. I appreciate the complement." Hinata shot a look at Sasuke who didn't make any indication that he saw her look. _Might as well count it._ She smiled at the young man who smiled back.

"If you are so worried Hyuuga you could use your eyes to see behind you," Sasuke suggested.

She looked at him slightly alarmed. "There's no need to use my family's Kekkai Genkai. And wouldn't that alarm the ANBU that are watching us that I am using chakra." He shrugged. Hinata sighed. "Fine." She looked over at Inari and Tazuna. "Don't be alarmed. I am going to use my Byakugan to check out the room around us." Inari looked interested while Tazuna waved on.

Hinata flew through the seals and quietly activated her Byakugan. Veins bulged around her eyes, as she swept the area to see who was looking at them and making note who they were while at the same time who they were looking at. Inari stared at the veins that stretched out from her eyes. He started to reach out but stopped himself. Hinata motioned him over and he scooted closer.

"You can touch. Just don't poke too hard," she told him. Hinata angled herself more toward Inari while she continued to look while Inari ran his hand across the protruding veins. She noticed more people were beginning to look this way. One of the workers nudged his buddy and motioned over at her. They both seemed more interested in her than the others at her table along with others who had been looking her way.

_Great. _She grumbled to herself. _Now people notice me and it's for the last thing I want them to. My family's abilities._ She turned her attention back to Inari who had stopped following her veins.

"That's really cool! Does it hurt to use?" Hinata shook her head.

"Just can get dizzying sometimes if I'm not focused when I activate it," she answered. She looked at the clock on that hung on a pole in the lunch tent. "You guys better get to finishing your lunch. It's about time to head back out."

Hinata swung her legs over the bench and grabbed her plate to head to trash bins. She heard movement behind her and wasn't surprised to see that it was Sasuke that following her.

She and her dark companion reached the trash can and disposed of their trash. She looked over at the Uchiha who was smirking at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," he replied still smirking and she huffed before heading towards the exit not caring if he followed or went back to the lunch table. He followed. "Though, do you have a number?"

"Eight." She shot at him and crossed her arms as they stood outside the tent. Hinata making sure Sasuke wasn't visible to the public.

"Hn. Was that a guess?"

"No. That even includes Inari's comment."

"Good. Keep it up."

She gapped at him and he continued to smirk at her until the rest of the group joined them to head back.

He might have even smirked through the rest of the work day.

.*.*.

"Kakashi Hatake was your sensei right Sasuke?"

"Yes. Why do you ask? Get asked a perverted question by him?"

"I thought it was Naruto's sensei that was the perverted one."

"There are more than one pervert that taught the dope and even more in Konoha, Hyuuga. In fact Suigetsu adds one more to the count."

"Hey!"

"So why hasn't he come by and visited?"

"His prerogative, not mine. Again, why ask me these questions."

"He was in the hospital again today for chakra exhaustion. Sakura hit him upside the head and claimed he was bad as Naruto, who, by the way, is hanging out with the 8-tails to learn how to control the 9 tails better."

"Kami help us."

"Anyway, he asked me how you were doing since I live with you-"

"That makes it sound like Sasuke had a choice in the matter."

"Shove it fish-boy. Your old sensei asked how you were and I told him he could ask you his self. Which then made him ask when would be the best time to do that."

"Point Karin?"

"We are going to a visitor tonight?"

.*.*.

The fact that it was the red head Karin that answered the door instead of Hinata let Kakashi breathe a little easier. He worried for a moment that she would forget about the conversation they had and that him showing up unexpectedly might have ended badly for him.

"Yo!" He greeted as Karin smiled at him and let him into the house which housed his former student and his team. Their guard was seated in a chair and appeared to meditating. She opened one of her eyes and nodded at him before settling back into it.

The rest of the furniture were occupied by the three young men who it looked like had been having a discussion of some sort before he walked up. The pale one nodded at him while the one with hair as bright as Naruto's old jump suit greeted him which brought him to Sasuke.

His former student stood and crossed his arms in front of him with a serious face. "Ask what you want then get out."

"Now now Sasuke. This is the first time we've seen other in how long? I thought we could sit down and have nice conversation and catch up." His former student rolled his eyes grumbled under his breath while Kakashi beamed at him.

"Fine. Take a seat." He gestured towards the various furniture. "It's not much, but then again I suppose I should be happy I'm not rotting in an ANBU interrogation cell."

The pale one snorted, "It was better than a few of the rooms back with that snake bastard."

"That is true. I would say this is much better than the conditions in both places," the orange haired one spoke.

Kakashi took an arm chair and sat down while Sasuke took up his former spot and Karin looked to go back to what seemed to be the kitchen. It was silent after the twos comments.

"I think it would be polite to introduce your teammates to Kakashi, Sasuke."

"I was getting to that Hyuuga. Go back to mediating or whatever the hell you do." Sasuke snapped at his guard. Kakashi saw Hinata flick a chopstick at him which struck the Uchiha upside the head.

"As long as you are a gracious host, I will."

Sasuke glared at the Hyuuga before turning back to him. "Kakashi. These two here are Suigetsu," Sasuke pointed at the pale one, "and Jugo." The orange haired on nodded. "This is my former sensei, Kakashi Hatake. Never believe his excuses to being late. Ever."

"Now Sasuke. That's mean." Kakashi stated while settling back into his chair. Karin walked back into the room and placed a plate of goodies on the table and took the chair next to Hinata. _Interesting._

"The truth hurts," was the waspish answer. "We were even late the chunnin exam finals. We were lucky that my match wasn't forfeited."

"That's what Kiba said." All of the shinobi looked at Hinata who had opened her eyes. "I was still weak after fighting my cousin in the pre-lims. I fainted during the match between Naruto and Neji. You were absent then Sasuke."

"Naruto mentioned you. Said you almost died during that fight." Sasuke thought back to that long ago chunnin exam.

"Wait. The guy that threatened me in Iron Country almost killed you?" Suigetsu spoke up.

"He actually succeeded. My heart stopped for a minute or two," Hinata commented as if discussing the weather.

"WHAT." Hinata jumped at the volume of Suigetsu's and Karin's combined voices.

"I didn't blame him. I still don't. In the end, the experience helped him and the fight between him and Naruto ended up starting to mend the rift between Neji and my father."

"But still! He killed you!"

"Old history and wounds from a family matter that were misunderstood led to that. Neji still apologizes for his actions." She tone indicated end of discussion. "I believe Kakashi wanted to catch up with Sasuke. I will stop interjecting. I am sorry Kakashi."

Kakashi had during the discussion leaned on his elbows on his knees. Tsunade was right. There was some weird dynamic here between the four and their guard. After the first time he had visited the Hokage after Sakura's refusal to introduce him to Karin, she had filled him on her actions while at the same time looking very pleased.

He could see why. _Who would have guessed little Hinata Hyuuga would be the one guarding Sasuke Uchiha?_ Apparently almost dying during the fight with Pein had instilled the Hyuuga with something. But in the meantime…

"Oh no! It's quite alright. I just came here to inform you that the Hokage has thought over your request and that if you four continue to do what you are doing without incident, she will allow you to train."

Hinata's eyes widened slightly before nodding, "Just how much longer will they need to wait?"

"Could be four week or four months. Who knows. I was just to tell you to behave and that eventually you'll be rewarded."

"You stole that from a fortune cookie. What did the broad say? Really?" Karin gave Sasuke annoyed look at the way he addressed the woman who was a legend in her own right next to the Snake Sannin.

"Who cares! We'll get to train again! I can't wait!"

"Blood thirsty fish," Karin intoned without any heat.

"I honestly didn't expect you to act this well behaved Sasuke."

"When you're threatened with blindness you have a tendency to do what your captor asks," Sasuke commented dryly. "Plus I was done being a pawn. I saw a way out. If I have to be under suspension for the rest of my life so I can live my life, I'll do it."

"Who threatened-" Suigetsu smirked and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder towards Hinata who had returned to her meditative state. "Ah."

"It was a very tense time. The Raikage was going to kill us though we didn't kill the Eight-Tails." Karin stated calmly. "Or something unpleasant."

"Uh-Huh. So that's what went down inside the cave. I saw the Kages approach but when I didn't see Danzo," Sasuke glared at the name, "with them I took off to see why he would not when obviously this was something he would want to see through."

"How did that bastard even get chosen?" Sasuke growled.

"I believe it is called intimidation." Sasuke snorted. "But then Tsunade awoke from her coma so all was right and she had his status revoked. I believe he's being held somewhere."

"Interesting."

"Yes Something about-"

"Kakashi, I believe you are revealing too much," Hinata interrupted. "If you have nothing else to talk about besides other criminals I think you should leave."

"Ah, come on Hinata! I want to see Sasuke blow a gasket." Sasuke's eye twitched.

"I don't. I would have to clean it up." She replied to Suigetsu's comment as she glided to the door and opened it. "Good bye Kakashi. Visiting hour is over."

Kakashi stood and cheerfully waved good bye to Sasuke and the rest of the household before walking to the exit and whispered to Hinata, "Expect something from the Hokage in the next week or so. It deals the previous topic." Hinata nodded minutely.

"Thank you for coming by Kakashi. Maybe you can come by another time? "

"That is a high possibility! Goodbye!" Kakashi waved again and Hinata locked the door behind him and turned to face the various expressions on Team Taka's face.

"It's time for you all to get ready for bed." She stated flatly. "It's been a long day and tomorrow is going to be even longer. No arguing."

Sugietsu pouted but it was ruined by the grin that surfaced. "But Hinata! We haven't even told Karin and Jugo about your reception today at lunch!" Hinata pinked while Jugo and Karin looked at between the two.

"There's nothing to tell. People were just looking our way more than usual."

"You mean looking at you. Comin' to see us at lunch in a dress and around construction workers? You should have known better." Suigetsu grinned while stretching. "Well I'm off to bed. Night!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his friend's antics while Karin gapped at their guard. Jugo had simply shook his head at Suigetsu and took his leave with a nodded and a goodnight. Karin eyed Hinata. Hinata returned her the look with a tilt of her head.

"GAH," Karin pulled her hair. "How can you not know?!" She tapped her chin while Hinata frowned. "It has to do with how she was raised. Has to. I mean come on. Look at the others in the group…" Karin began to mumble to herself and walk up the stairs to her room leaving a bewildered guard.

Sasuke's smirk had slowly emerged again. "Looks like I'm not only one." He commented which brought Hinata's gaze back to him after watching Karin mumble the whole way back to her room.

"Only one?" Hinata commented back as she took up residence again in 'her' chair.

"That doesn't believe that you're that ignorant of the looks you gain."Hinata shrugged. "So final count?"

Hinata stiffened. "Fifteen."

"No."

"What do you mean no? I was on track at lunch."

"Then you missed a couple looks from there on." Hinata huffed and shut her eyes to begin mediating to end the conversation. Sasuke's smirk enlarged and he moved in front of her. "Don't you want to know when you missed them?" Hinata's eyes flew open and she glared. "You do have to include Suigetsu's comments. Though the looks at you received from the aviary worker," Sasuke tilted his head. "I don't know how you missed them."

"I was worried about my duty, as a guard." She growled.

"By the way, why did you stop Kakashi? And what did he say to you before he left?" He leaned forward into her personal space.

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Hn." The staring contest continued.

"I believe I told you to go to bed." Hinata stated.

"You did, but I'm enjoying this."

"… Should I add that to my count?" Sasuke smirked and Hinata blushed.

"Goodnight Hyuuga. Our game continues."

_Yes. I'm still divided between strangling him or thanking him. Though strangling is pulling ahead._

…. * …. *….

_*coughs* Well… I haven't updated this in a year and I feel horrible for that, especially since I wanted this done by now. And it looks like my writing style has shifted. Again._

_Long story short. I graduated college in May, start grad school next week. Plot bunny hid from me for a long time combined with the fact I haven't read the manga since maybe February. Hopefully I will finish this story sometime in the foreseeable future. _

_Anywho, thank you all for reading and doing that thing you do with story alerts & favorites! :Hugs:_

_Fergie20  
_

_**Dis: Don't own. Kishi does.**_

_**Read & review? **_


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